Have you ever had to choose obedience over sacrifice? Obedience to God can be difficult. Sometimes it’s easy, but other times His leading may be unclear because it doesn’t seem to make sense.
What do we do when that happens? How do we know when to obey if our obedience involves letting someone down? Being a rule follower helps (sort of), I like to follow rules, and I’m afraid not to.
I was always an obedient child. It wasn’t, however, because I was GOOD. My obedience grew from a desire to please. Yep, I’m a rule follower, people- pleaser. Some of you just decided you don’t like me. You know my type.
My teachers loved me. My parents rarely had to punish me, but I do remember that one time when I was fourteen when my dad let me know how self-absorbed I’d become. It wasn’t pretty. I think I’d rather have had a physical whack than the tongue lashing that ensued.
I deserved it. Yet I admit his rebuke worked more as a challenge to prove him wrong. I helped my mom more and intentionally looked people in the eyes when I spoke to them. That harsh reprimand worked. But that’s not what this post is about. It’s about obeying God.
Obedience Involves Listening
I’ve always thought of myself as a “good girl” in this department too. But as I sat down today to write this post, I did what I always do. I prayed, “Lord, what do you want me to share this week? Can I use an old post?”
I scrolled through posts recently viewed and there it was . . . a post on obedience. “Not that one, Lord!” (I confess). But He loves us so much. And I felt a gentle tug in my spirit that said, “Yes.” Do you know that gentle tug? When we feel it, God has something to teach us.
Learning the Same Lesson of Obedience Over Again
I began to copy the old words to put into this new post and God said, “No. Write what’s on your heart. Share what you’re struggling with.” That’s the thing about learning with God. I seem to learn the same lessons over and over.
Anybody else? Today I find myself in the same heart predicament as years ago. At that time, God was nudging me to quit a job that involved helping an elderly neighbor. Here’s a portion of that post:
It was the one small paying job on my daily eclectic list of things to do. It only took an hour or so of my day, but I felt a pressing in my spirit. I knew I had to quit, but I’m no quitter! It was a hard decision because it involved helping someone in need, yet I knew I had to quit that job out of obedience to God.
It’s hard to put obedience and sacrifice in perspective. As Christians, we often hold the mind-set that we must sacrifice to please God. Doesn’t God want me to sacrifice my time and talents for others in need?
It depends.How to Let Go When God Tells You To: The Blessing of Obedience May 2016
God chooses obedience over sacrifice every time, but how can we be certain what we are hearing or feeling is from God?
Scripture Can Help Us Discern God’s Direction
What do we do when we don’t know what to do? How can we discern if it’s our will or God’s? And how do we do the right thing–what seems to be God’s leading when it seems so wrong? This scripture helped me decide:
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22
I’m so glad we don’t have to sacrifice rams, aren’t you? Jesus took away the need for that system when He died as our final sacrifice. His blood was the atonement for our sin, but don’t we still struggle with the feeling we need to sacrifice for God?
Only Sacrifice if God Tells You To
If you’re struggling with guilt like I was over quitting working for my elderly neighbor, remember that we only need to sacrifice if HE tells us to. This requires talking with Him, walking with Him, surrendering to Jesus, and poring into his love letter of life instruction called the Bible.
If you find yourself a little restless these days. You feel God stirring something inside. First, do not move. Do not change anything until you know for certain it is His lead. If it makes sense, it’s probably not God. I’ve lived long enough and read too many stories in the Bible to know that God doesn’t think like we think. After all, His perspective is much greater than ours.
Do we trust Him? Let this truth and promise seep into your heart.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.Proverbs 3: 5-6
In the scripture above, “Straight paths” do not mean easy paths. It means “peace with God.” When we’re struggling to figure out what to do, we need to surrender it to Jesus. When we do, we will experience His peace.
People Pleasing Versus God Pleasing
This is the bottom line. As a confessed people-pleaser, the reason why it’s so hard to let go when God tells me to is simple: I don’t want to hurt anyone. But I’m learning to measure everything I think I’m hearing from God with His Word.
And when I know beyond knowing God has instructed me to let go, I do.
Join the conversation:
Leave a comment sharing a time when you obeyed God even though it was really hard. Tell us what happened or how you knew it was what He was asking you to do.
Related posts:
This is about disobedience rather than obedience. International missions and ministry have always been my passion. Several years ago, I made plans to join another mission team, ignoring a nagging feeling I should not go. A few weeks before the trip, my husband was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. My place was home. Rather than initial obedience, I had to jump through hoops to cancel the trip. l also caused the team leader extra work.
God then opened other doors for international ministry from our home, as a friendship family to international students and as a radio drama writer for Christ to the World Ministries.