What is the nature of obedience to God?
We often think of obedience as doing the big things for God, or allowing Him to have a say in the important decisions of our lives.
However, Lina Abujamra says that is only part of the picture of obedience. While big obedience is good, more often than not, obedience can’t be measured on a grand scale.
“I wrote about obedience really trying to explain the day to day, moment by moment issues of obedience because I think those little steps of obedience are what allows us to make the big steps of obedience to the Lord. It’s how you respond when God tells you to stop using a certain word, or to change your attitude about your circumstance, to give thanks when you’d rather not.”
For many of us, our perception of obedience is skewed. Being obedient to God is so much more than just following rules.
“A lot of us think of obedience as do and don’t. Do this, don’t do that. That’s not obedience, that’s following rules, that’s like being in an army.”
“A relationship with a loving father is different. It’s driven by love and I think obedience says that we trust God. That trust is at the heart of everything we do in Christianity.”
Lina says that one of the areas of life that God has called her to strict obedience is in her entertainment choices.
“There are a lot of things that I think are okay, but the Holy Spirit has clearly said it’s not good for me in particular.”
Even if our culture tells us that something is okay, it doesn’t mean it is. It’s important for all of us to be in tune with the Holy Spirit when choosing how we entertain ourselves.
Sometimes we might feel like we’re missing out by not partaking in the forms of entertainment the world indulges in. However, Lina says that hasn’t been her experience
“It’s only after I obey that I realize how much better my life is without it. You’re never going to see the effect of obedience until you take that step of obedience, you always see it after.”
Lina Abujamra is a pediatric ER doctor and founder of Living with Power Ministries. She provides biblical truth for everyday life through her popular blog and her speaking ministry, which has taken her all over the world. Her Living with Power podcast has more than 150,000 listeners from all over the world. She is the host of Today’s Single Christian, heard daily on Moody Radio.
Key Scripture: Psalm 42:11
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