Obeying God When the Struggle Is Real
If I choose to love God, then I will let Him decide the details of my life when He leads. Read seven practical ways to make sure you’re obeying God.
Welcome back, friends! Today I’m sharing a follow-up to the disobedience issue I came clean with in my last post. I don’t want my steps to be off sync while I’m walking with Jesus, so today I’m sharing practical ways to obey Him when you feel like He is leading you to do something that’s not so easy!
Several years ago I read a book called Rees Howell, Intercessor. I am still in awe of the gravity of his story of surrendering to the commands of the Holy Spirit in every aspect of his daily life. I prayed a dangerous prayer after that and told the Holy Spirit I would live my life that way. I definitely haven’t always submitted, but yet there have been drastic moments of yielding in daily details.
Obeying God in the Details
Which is why it wasn’t surprising that God took a magnifying glass to the tiny crumb I subconsciously brushed under the rug during my busy day.
It’s just bedtime, God. I feel like a little kid instead of a responsible adult when I can’t have more of “go to bed within a certain range” rather than a specific time.
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15 ESV
He likes to respond with scriptures. 😉
Of course, there is no scripture that says, “Thou shalt go to bed at a certain time,” but should I obey God when I feel His leading to do something for which I cannot find a specific command in the Bible? Yes. Of course, the Holy Spirit will never lead us to do something sinful or contrary to the Bible.
Much of Jesus’ ministry was being led by the Spirit. For example, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness (Matthew 4:1).
I often want to fight God for control of my day, but if I keep the first and greatest command that tells me to love God with ALL my heart, soul, and mind, then obeying Him in the details should be a normal practice. I’ve said it before, love is a choice. God is leading; I am not.
Maybe you won’t understand this, but it’s just where I’m at with my spiritual growth.
7 Practical Ways to Obey God
- Write it down. Write down what you feel like God is leading you to do. This might come in pieces, but write down the big picture, every step. Even the 10 Commandments were written down.
- Select foundational verses. Whatever God leads you to do will be biblical. (The directional will definitely not go against scripture in any way; if it does, it’s not God.) Since there isn’t a specific command in scripture in my case of being diligent to keep the strict bedtime that I felt God led me to, I chose verses that went along with calling. Colossians 1:10 reminds me to walk worthy of my calling, and Philippians 4:13 help me lean on God for strength.
- Find an “accountabilibuddy.” Even the most well-meaning Christian can become inconsistent. Ask someone to check up on you. Simply giving that person permission to speak into your life and cheer you on can bring about amazing motivation.
4 More Keys in Obeying God
The remaining four are from the keys of obedience that I started having my kids follow several years ago. It’s funny how sometimes a mom can teach simple principles to her children but hasn’t applied them to herself.
Don’t ask me how I know this. Let’s just say I remember putting these “keys” into place and the Lord was correcting me while I was correcting them!
For the little ones I had simplified them as “happy attitude, no complaining, right away, and finish all,” however let’s briefly look at these:
- Check your attitude. God looks at the heart and motives. My prayer is, I delight to do Your will (Psalm 40:8a NASB).
- Watch your words. It’s so easy to start complaining when things start going wrong. Or doubt-talk may need to be kicked to the curb.
- Don’t delay. “Delayed obedience is not obedience at all, it’s disobedience,” was what I started saying to my kids when we started with the keys. I learned there is a fine line between giving myself grace for mistakes, and delaying because of laziness. 😉
- Finish all. Do everything He said to do, and then trust Him with the rest. He uses humans to accomplish His purposes, but I’ve had to make sure I don’t try to take things a step further and make something happen on my own. I simply need to finish my part.
What did I miss? Is there anything else we could add to this list?
Love is a springboard and the motivator to obey God when the struggle is real. #ThrivingInChrist #obedience
Thanks for choosing such a practical example of obedience for this post — because it’s in the (supposedly) little things that we really demonstrate our determination to obey.
Hi, Michele. So glad to see you here again. 🙂 Your comment made me think of the verse about being faithful in the little things. It’s such a little verse, but so powerful.
Great list! The only thing I would add is “listen”.
How many times have our children pretended not to hear when they don’t want to obey? We need to make sure we don’t do the same thing when we hear God’s voice.
Oh maaaan, you are so right. I’m pretty sure I did that “pretended not to hear” recently. Yes, that’s a great one to add to the list. Thanks!
Wise words here. Thanks, Kelly! I especially appreciated the “writing down” part. It does help. God bless you!
It does. I was just thinking that I have some more to write down, but I’ve been putting it off because I realize that it is going to require a faith walk. Anyways, thanks for your comment. Blessings to you!
Such great points, Kelly! I might add for myself: eyes on Him, not on the task” because too often when I get caught up in this struggle I’m looking at just the struggle, just what I can do about it, and just being obedient…instead of looking at the one I’m obeying, who is the very reason I’m obeying!
I love this point that mbethany makes!
Yes, Bethany! It is a good balance there to not let it become an idol. Thanks, friend. 🙂
Great reminders! The need to enter an accountability relationship really hits home as that is something God has been nudging on my heart. Me and a friend have just agreed to meet regularly for that purpose.
Praise God for confirmation! Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment, Sharon!
I love these, Kelly. I’m not one to write things down, but I need to start doing this. There have been countless times when I remember there is something the Lord showed me and I don’t remember what it was. I’ll be writing things down from now on. Thank you for these encouraging ways to obey God and for sharing them with Thankful Thursdays.
Oh, I’m glad! I think it will help you with your writing.
God has been nudging me more and more on the topic of obedience lately, and now here’s your post doing the same. And hand-in-hand with the lesson on obedience is the revelation of trust… He seems to want them both in tandem. Man is He schooling me on both, lol.
So glad I was introduced to your blog today, Kelly, and if I may say, your IG account is so visually refreshing, loved visiting it…
Blessings and more besides!
Wow! Thank you! Nice to meet you Christine. I can see what you mean about trust. Thanks for your comment, and praying for you today!
“Happy attitude, no complaining, right away, and finish all,” These four speak to my life, too (not just for the wee ones). Love your post and your pics. Thanks!
Oh, thank you! The simplicity of those 4 helped me remember, and apply them. Glad it helped. 🙂