The Joy of Obedience
"Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord." -- Proverbs 16:20 (ESV)
Our son was in first grade when my husband Chris and I first felt God call us to adopt. It came out of nowhere. We had never talked about adoption. We were content as a family of three. But we couldn’t deny that God was calling us to a new hard thing.
At times, as we prayed and researched adoption, one of us would feel more led to follow God’s call while the other felt more cautious. Then, we’d flip. This went on for a year or two. Until, on Easter Day in 2010, we both knew it was time to move forward.
Crying in the kitchen after Easter services, I said, "What do we do now?" Chris didn't falter. "We know what the Holy Spirit is telling us to do," he said. "The only question left is, will we obey?"
The deciding factor for us was not our willingness to obey, but God’s trustworthy character. We’d done hard things with Jesus before, like moving across country, taking a new job, saying yes to Bible study leadership, and enduring physical suffering. God had proven himself trustworthy through every trial. We knew with confidence we could trust him to lead us through the scary unknown world of adoption.
I find it difficult to obey someone I don’t trust or who has broken my trust. Sneaky thoughts whiz through my mind: Why should I obey him? He’s not trustworthy so how can I be sure what he’s asking me to do is right? Distrust and doubts ruin the joy of obedience.
When I feel even a hint of distrust in my relationship with Jesus, I know I’m in dangerous territory. Satan is at play and would love nothing more than to destroy my trust in God, effectively turning my joyful obedience into disgruntled disobedience.
The hymn "Trust and Obey" tells us we’ll be "happy in Jesus" when we trust and obey. The Bible repeatedly teaches that blessings follow obedience. Proverbs 16:20 says, "Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord." I believe it.
I have trusted God to help me do hard things, like adopting two kiddos with a traumatic start to life. God has helped me endure suffering, enabled me to forgive, and given me compassion for the hurting. As I’ve walked with God and my trust has grown, I have been surprised to find that hard things now bring me happiness. We do hard things together, God and me, and somehow that brings me joy.
God is always trustworthy so our obedience should be simple, right? Wrong. Our sinful desires complicate our obedience to God. When trusting God feels difficult, let that be a red flag in your heart warning that sin is at play. Focus on the relationship, on the perfectly trustworthy God walking with you, and obedience will naturally follow. And right on its heels is joy.
Questions for Reflection:
1. Where are you struggling to obey God? How does his trustworthiness help you obey?
2. When have you experience the joy of obedience? How will remembering that joy help when you need courage to obey God in the future?
