Simple Obedience

 Do you want to know what God’s will is for your life? Do you want to understand His plan, sense His direction for you?

I’ve been told that when I ask, “what is God’s will for my life?” the last three words are unnecessary. The real question is, “what is God’s will?” His will is the same for you and me, although the circumstances in which this will is applied may differ. We, however, tend to get hung up on the specifics. We desire to feel useful. We desire to know where we’re going. We want to “feel a peace about it.” I would also be scared when asking “what is God’s will for my life” that I truly mean, “how does God’s will fit into my life.”

God’s will isn’t about our lives, But, he does involve our lives in His will. He has a will for our lives and a plan for each day, but I don’t think we are often privy to these details. However, he does give us clear, simple, hard instructions in His Word. He spells out in scripture what His will is and how we are to follow him.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thes. 5:18)

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom 12:2)

“For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.” (1 Peter 2:15)

“He replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.’” (Luke 11:28)

Is it possible that we overcomplicate obedience? We seek to “have a peace about something” or “sense that this is the Lord’s will.” We think that a feeling precedes obedience, but most days are filled with the gruntwork of simple obedience, undecorated by feelings and often opposed to them. I am highly on guard when I start to rely on my feelings too much.

I did ballet for almost 20 years. Throughout those years I’m sure there were many days I didn’t want to go to class, didn’t feel like sweating it out, and would have rather hung out with my friends. But, if I’m bring honest, I didn’t entertain those desires much because I knew my commitment was to go to class every day. It didn’t matter what I felt like. I didn’t even make the conscious decision to go to class. It is simply what I did.

This was made easier because I had a goal: become a better dancer. I knew that this goal was only realized through practice, through the daily discipline of plies and tendus. This goal didn’t take into consideration my feelings or the sense of what it should be, it simply was. It wasn’t a goal unique to me, all ballet dancers shared the goal, though my specific challenges and strengths were unique. Additionally, I didn’t make up the goal, it was given to me by the art form and taught to me by my instructors.

Elizabeth Elliot put it well when she said, “we are merely receivers. We receive orders and we do what he says” (excerpt from her Lecture “A Call to Surrender”).

How simple.

How hard.

Each day we repeatedly made the same choice: whether or not we will obey.

Each day we repeatedly made the same choice: whether or not we will obey. For the truth is that we are either obeying or disobeying the Lord. There is no in-between. There is no middle ground. There is no reason to wait to obey the Lord. It is when we think we can live in the gray area that we start to become lukewarm, and the Lord’s thoughts on that are anything but mild.

I can either obey by forgiving someone who hurt me, or I can disobey by being bitter.

I can either obey by watching my tongue, or I can disobey by letting it loose.

I can either obey by honoring the Lord with my finances, or I can disobey by clinging to earthly treasures.

Perhaps when we concentrate too hard on feeling “a peace about something” or “sensing the Lord’s will right now” we are discrediting our simple, daily obedience. Are we waiting for a motivation to obey the Lord? I will give it to you:

“If you keep my commandments, you will abide on my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” (John 15:10)

We all want to abide in the love of the Father, but do we remember that this is realized through simple obedience? There is such joy awaiting us in the gruntwork of daily surrender. Christ has paved the way for us, and He indeed goes with us on this path towards Kingdom mindedness.

If you remember from my last post, we are called to live in today and not worry about tomorrow. Likewise, we are also called to obey for what is in front of us today. The only place we can serve the Lord is right here, right now. Not when we know more. Not when we make more money. Not when we have a “calling.” Not when we have more influence. Right now.

When the disciples followed Christ, they didn’t make one decision. Every day they had to decide to follow Christ, because He was always moving. They had to daily take up their cross. It wasn’t complicated, but it wasn’t easy.

However, I imagine that, just as in 20 years of ballet, going to class felt like an obvious decision, years into following Christ sometimes, indeed oftentimes, obedience feels more and more obvious. We build habits around our daily lives, and thus our daily obedience to the Lord will also be built into our lives. This isn’t to say that we will simply “go through the motions,” but that we will organize our minds and lives to submit to the Lord. Obedience will still be hard, but it will become more habitual.

I have two important side notes for these themes: one, there are many times when the Lord gives us specific instructions about what He would have us do. I am in no way disvaluing His specific guidance, be that through our feelings, circumstances, others, or discernment. I am simply freeing us in our more daily choices to operate under the grace of daily obedience. Oftentimes, we don’t know the reason, but we are still called to obey.

Second note, I feel the need to reiterate grace. We thought much about obedience today, but do not let yourself be deceived, our obedience totals to filthy rags apart from the atonement of the cross. Our response to the gospel is obedience, but it in no way makes us more worthy recipients. We get to obey, we don’t have to obey in order to earn grace.

Let’s return to Matthew 6, “But seek first his kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you as well.” This seeking is a daily endeavor and a clear calling. Out of this seeking, we receive freedom. The heavy worries of tomorrow and pressure to know it all are released when we realize that the next step is actually a small one. Seek the Lord.

Part of this challenge is to know the Lord. But it turns out that we overcomplicate that as well, but that is for the next post.

Right now, I have this challenge: will we obey the Lord today with what is in front of us? Will we trust the Lord with the outcomes and the risks and follow Him onto the water? It might not always look adventurous. It might look more like doing the dishes when it isn’t our turn. It might be huge and cause our families to think we’re crazy. It might be selfless and unrecognized. It might be a lot of things, but know that every day we are choosing something, either obedience or disobedience.

Let’s wake up tomorrow with a question on our lips, “what is my obedience today?”

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Gal. 6:9-10)

Until next time,

Hannah