We need not fear what our obedience will cause to happen in our lives. Instead, we should fear what our disobedience may cause us to miss.
No one understood this better than Abraham (Genesis 22). When God commanded Abraham to place his son Isaac on the altar of obedience, I'm sure Abraham fully expected to plunge the dagger into Isaac. To Abraham, it must have seemed like the end-the death of a dream. Yet Abraham was willing to surrender the son he loved to the God who loved him even more.
Because of Abraham's obedience, God intervened. He poured out His compassion and mercy, spared Isaac, and provided a ram in his place. Abraham's willingness to obey opened the door for God's provision and blessing.
When God tells us to give something up or to do something, we need to respond with obedience rather than disobedience. When we obey what God is asking of us, He often blesses us in ways far greater than we could have imagined. His blessings may not always come in the way we expect, but His plans are always for our good and His glory.
I suspect you've had moments when God's fingerprints were unmistakably all over your life. Live with the expectation of experiencing God and hearing His voice. Record those moments in a journal. Look for the answers to the prayers you've prayed and for the understanding that comes through the steps of obedience God has called you to take. Watch how He weaves everything together in deep, beautiful, and wondrous ways.
When I was 20 years old, God told me to end my two-year relationship with my boyfriend. It was one of the hardest things I had ever faced, and for several weeks I delayed obeying Him.
One day, my mother came with us while we were out together. During our time together, my boyfriend said something that deeply unsettled my spirit. When my mother and I returned home, I prayed about it once again. This time, God clearly impressed on my heart, "Break up with him now." So I did.
Looking back, I can see God's wisdom and faithfulness. Although it was painful at the time, His plan was far better than anything I could have chosen for myself.
Obedience is the key that unlocks a deeper relationship with God. Jesus said in John 15:10:
*"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love."* (KJV)
The more we say "yes" to God, the more we experience Him. The more we experience Him, the more we trust Him. And the more we trust Him, the more willingly we open our hands in complete surrender and obedience.
Obedience becomes beautiful when we sincerely pray, "Yes, Lord, whatever You want," and truly mean it. We release our grip on the things we love and place them back into the hands of the One who loves us infinitely more than we ever could. It is into those open, surrendered hands that God pours His abundant, unexpected, and extravagant blessings.
In time, saying "yes" to God is no longer merely a discipline of the heart-it becomes the greatest delight of your life.
