Shannon R. Hess

Today read with me:

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

And

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Obedience won’t always look the same for you as it will me. But it always looks like putting God first, loving Him and obeying Him even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone around you or even your own heart yet- believe it will. The key is to know your Shepherd’s voice, so you know that you know you’re listening and obeying. His word says that we will know His voice – believe that! Do not doubt that. If what you hear is commanding you to go against God’s word, you know it’s a false god speaking. It is simple, I promise that even if it feels like the word obedience gets abused sometimes in our Christian culture, almost as an excuse at times to get out of things we don’t feel like doing. Remember not to grow weary by what others are doing around you- stay the course believing He is faithful to finish what He starts in every one of us.

Recently I was super tired, emotionally, and laying on my bed asking God what I was missing – He said just one word- obedience-

I thought that’s my own mind, I’m obedient- or at least I try – there it was- the truth, I try most of the time. But ultimately I’m still a people pleaser – I hate the thought of anyone being upset or hurt by my actions or words – Then like a walk down memory lane I saw all the yes’s I gave to man that were in fact no’s to God…

all good reasons I felt, helping a friend out, volunteering for anything that lacked, calling a friend to vent instead of praying and then getting my house work done, hiding my excitement for a call God placed on my life to shield another’s feelings– I could go on and on. You get it, you’ve done it more than likely yourself. The point is, if someone’s obedience hurts your feelings you don’t have the right heart. It’s that simple. And if we care more about someone’s feelings than we do doing what God says- we are being disobedient. Even if you’re heart is in a good place, God knows that and that’s why we have grace and mercy. But eventually you have to choose and ask yourself –

who is Lord over my life right now?

Friends: I want you to do what God says- even if I don’t understand it when you tell me about it.

today I pray anyone struggling with fear of man, fear of missing out, fear of hurting someone’s feelings, or plain ole I don’t want to do it disobedience- I pray today you break through all of the junk separating you from the good Father who calls you His – who loves you anyway. I pray you step into the fullness of His glory for your life and for the kingdom. I pray for unity among the body of Christ like never before that can only come from radical obedience.

-in Jesus name- amen