Experiencing God

Experiencing God—Chapter Eighteen—God Requires Obedience

Question 1. Consider a directive from God that you have recently obeyed. How did you experience God as you obeyed him? Is there anything God had to teach you before you were prepared to obey?

In order for me to have a love relationship with God and to experience him, I must obey him at all times. Obeying God is expressing my love for God. When I obey him, he will make himself known to me.

Obedience is doing what you are told to do. Since we are self-centered, we have a natural tendency to say no and not do what we are commanded by god. However, some of us may later have a change of heart and do what the Lord commanded. Others will make a promise to do something and then not follow through with his promise. Others will hear God and drop everything to obey him immediately.

First of all, I have to realize that I am not perfect. I can try to live perfectly every day-by following the Ten Commandments and all the other laws in the Bible. However, when I mess up and disobey God, I get frustrated. All of this hard work for nothing! Then I have to remind myself that, since I am a child of God, he has already forgiven-even though I don’t deserve his forgiveness, mercy and love.

When I find myself walking down the road of disobedience, I must direct my path by:

Seeking God’s direction
Looking to the Holy Spirit
Evaluating the honesty of my heart
Being upright before God
Being patient
Not listening to the counsel of others
There are times I get frustrated with my husband. Day after day, he sits in front of the computer playing games and not helping me with the household chores. (I really cannot say anything since I have the tendency to do this as well.) However, it would be nice to help me out at times. Then he criticizes my work by kindly informing me that I missed a spot.

Other times he will say things just to get me angry. Other times I try to start a conversation. However, he is not in the mood to start. Then it is my turn. He may talk about something in the news and I am trying to read a book. I might hear him but not reply. Other times, I will snap at him or make a sarcastic reply.

For our marriage to work, this has to stop!

“Serve him,” God commands.

And I obey.

As I clean house, I realize that my husband is using the computer to escape from his problems. I also realize that he does a lot around the house-even though he is afraid to pick up a broom. He is a good handyman and gardener. He spends time in the garage, building desks and tables out of wood.

So rather than looking at his faults, I need to focus on his good qualities.

As I practice being the serving wife, I am also serving God at the same time. Sometimes it is difficult, especially when I am tired after getting home from work. However, I see myself improving each day.

Question 2. How does your following God cost others? How has others’ obedience to God cost you?

Obedience and sacrifice go hand-in-hand. It does cost my family. While I am not spending days on end away from my family like some of the missionaries, I am spending hours on the Internet trying to reach out to others throughout the world. Sometimes I feel guilty because it takes time away from my family needs. After all, I should be the serving wife-cleaning house, cooking meals, running to the store and so on. It has also cost me my friends. These friendships would only allow me to walk down the road of obedience. It was necessary for me to end them.

Now how am I to balance my time with God and my family without neglecting one? There are many times when it is my day off when I cannot sleep through the night, since I work the night shift. I can be up at my computer a few hours before anybody else wakes up. That way I can get a head start with my plans and still be there for the family when they wake up. (I am currently typing this at 12:30 in the morning.)

Question 3. Have you ever suffered the consequences of not obeying God?

Yes. While it was not something like getting struck by lightning, it was like God was distant from me or being disappointed with me. I know God never leaves me. When I feel that God is distant it is really me who moved away from God.

I get disappointed in myself as well. I might have a set plan for a certain day. Then I go online and do everything else that what I had originally planned to do. I neglect God, my family and my household chores. (See, I really cannot complain when my husband does this.) Then before I know it, it is time to cook dinner and I have not even thought about what to make. The entire day was wasted and nothing was accomplished. My time in this life is too short for me to waste it.

Reference:

Questions are taken from Experiencing God Knowing and Doing the Will of God. Henry and Richard Blackaby.