Learning to live from a place of obedience is hard. If you’re like me, the temptation towards selfish ambition is quite the battle.
For me, it can be hard to detect because I’ll chase after good things, even things I’m confident God would want me to do. However, I turn those good things given by God, into God things when I’m the one controlling them trying to make them go the way I think they should go. This depletes my life and my soul in more ways than one. God opened my eyes to this reality and how my cup felt empty for a while now. The moments of reprieve have come and gone so quickly, and it seems almost hopeless to desire life to look any different.
However, I’m entering a new season and waking up to my disobedience as I humble my heart to see my ways and my need for repentance. This time, I don’t believe the lie that God is far away, and I need to do anything to get back to Him. This time I knew He was there with me with the desire to lead me in His ways, even as I battled and at times lost to my selfish ambition. God is helping me see that the answer isn’t saying no to everything so that I avoid anything that would empty me, but to submit my life to Him so that I can pour out from a place that simultaneously is being restored.
And what’s even more amazing is that God has designed our bodies to break down when we go at a pace not designed by Him. We get sick, or angry, or just irritated by the smallest of things. I can believe my type-A, try-hard-disobedience of selfish ambition doesn’t carry any consequences, but it does. These consequences happen, not so I can be proven wrong, but that I can be restored in love for His glory and my good.
A lot of people don’t realize how important obedience is to God. It says in the Bible that obedience is more important than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22), and one of the reasons why God was angry at the Pharisees was because they thought to offer a sacrifice was enough and pleasing to God. What prevents us from being obedient is our worldly view – thinking that things don’t make sense, fearing other people’s opinions or judgment of us. It is, however, through faith that we are obedient, and faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
If you obey God, you will eventually see the outcome of your obedience. It may not be right away because a fruit takes a while to bear. If you have ever planted anything, you will know that it takes seasons to reap a harvest. So have faith in your obedience, and walk in obedience today.
Dear Lord, please help us to yield to You by surrendering ourselves completely so that we can be modeled into something useful. Make us a vessel that can be used and prepared to do any good work You have in store for us, in Jesus’ Name.
Blazer_ Michael Kors
Shirt_ H&M
Bow Tie_ Jos A. Bank
Pants_ Banana Republic
Shoes were handmade by @dayoshoes
