Let Obedience Not Be Burdensome

Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. -- 1 John 5:3 (NLT) 

I love God for He has saved me! I talk to Him constantly. I raise my kids to know Him. I serve in His church. I do a devotional every day to keep Him and His Word close. I sing worship songs daily. I try to honor Him for all the blessings He’s bestowed on me with my everyday decisions.

I try. Living inside His guard rails for living, His commandments, isn’t burdensome…

But… that’s not always true. Why is this so hard?

I mean—don’t murder. Check. I got that one covered.

Don’t steal. Check. I think I’m okay there.

But don’t covet? Don’t envy? Oh, and love everyone? Everyone?

That one really gets me. Why isn’t my love for God big enough to love everyone the way He loves me? Why do I disobey?

I have learned time and time again that the best way to combat my hesitation toward disobedience (and okay, the times I flat-out disobey) is knowing the Word of God. Jesus, Himself, used Scripture when He was tempted. 

So when anger and bitterness threaten to creep in over a tough situation or even what I deem unacceptable (which alone is trouble because what I deem and what God deems may be very different), I can read and repeat verses like Hebrews 12:14a (NLT), “Work at living in peace with everyone.”

When jealously pours in when someone else receives a blessing which I lack or for even a material item I desire, I can read and be reminded of James 3:15 (NLT) … “For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.”

Scriptures, the very Word of God, will go before me during my moment of struggle and fight the enemy who’s whispering in my ear, attempting to move my thoughts of anger, resentment, and coveting to the physical—the point where my thoughts, unguarded and unprotected—become sin with my reaction.

Banished. Fin. Over. Hard won, but a hallelujah in the end. Because of Scripture.

And thankfully when I move to sin and disobedience toward God, I have the Cross. Jesus died so that I can be free. The turning back to Him is easy and He always has open arms to receive me. There are consequences to deal with over my sin, but by being held in Jesus' arms, I can sort through any next steps to handle those.

Let’s use God’s Word to free us from any disobedience to Jesus.

Questions for Reflection:

1. Do any of God’s commandments seem burdensome to you, and thereby hinder your full love and surrender to God?

2. What Scripture can you learn to help combat the areas in your life that are hard to keep God’s commands?