Do I walk in obedience or disobedience should never really be a question when you’re walking with the Lord. However, when you are being lead to do something out of your comfort zone, completely out of your box, and it causes anxiety at the thought of it, the question raises its head. I personally desire for this question to never come up because I want to honor God my immediate trust toward Him in everything He calls or leads me to do. I want my response to carry a willingness to yield in full surrender at any cost! The Lord is worthy of such a response.
So when the question comes up… I feel shame. I am ashamed that I would consider not being obedient in trusting Him for what’s ahead.
It’s in the what if’s… I Fear most:
- What if I make a fool of myself?
- What if I share too much in my writing and embarrass myself or others?
- What if no one reads what I write?
- What if I prove to myself that I can never cross that bridge where He uses my weakness and I don’t gain His strength?
- What if what I communicate becomes a judgment tool that launches gossip at my expense?
- What if, what if, what if… The unending barrage of questions can paralyze me and cause me to desire disobedience far more than obedience.
But wait! What does obedience bring if I let God have my fears? (Psalm 56:3-4a) Suppose my “what IF’s” become affirmations that “I Fear God” more than fearing people and what they think? What if I trust God for the outcome? What if I truly believe God is for me and wants good for me? (Romans 8:31) What if my Faith becomes bigger than my fears of inadequacy?
“Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy if from God…” 2 Corinthians 3:5
I can trust God with my “what if’s” because He always intends good toward me, He is faithful (1 Thessalonians 5:24), He will be glorified in my obedience, He will bless me with strength (Psalms 18:1), He will not leave me alone (Hebrews 13:5), and He will see me through. “For He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
The crossroads of obedience and disobedience provide a choice; therefore, I choose what offers the most out of life even though it appears to be a more difficult road. The road to obedience will help me overcome my fears. I choose to trust a God that knew me before I was even a thought in my parents’ minds. (Psalms 139:13-16) He is El Roi, “the God who sees me”. (Genesis 16:13) He is a God that has plans to prosper me and not harm me. (Jerimiah 29:11) He is a God that is alive and active in my life and loves me even when I hesitate to choose obedience over disobedience. I choose the harder path; I choose a path where I surrender control to my God who is infinitely more able than I am. My choice: The path that declares that God is in control and in taking this path my soul cries out, “God, You are… so, here I am! Use me!”
At YOUR crossroads, are you paralyzed by the choice of obedience and disobedience? What if?
Look back at your history with God and see His faithfulness to you. Even if it’s hard to be obedient to His leading do it any way. Take the leap of faith with me. He is for us not against us so come on and stop analyzing it and draw a line in the sand and walk across it. You can trust God for the outcome!
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding, In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make our paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
