Walking in Obedience
“If you love me, keep my commands.” —John 14:15
The day I received salvation was unusual. It was 2:30 a.m. on a Saturday night/Sunday morning when my dad had gotten home from work. I was 8 years old, bright-eyed, and ready to serve the Lord with my whole heart. But accepting Jesus as my Savior and Lord didn’t automatically mean I was fully obedient to His will.
For a long time, I lived in a state of spiritual tension. I balanced between things I thought were holy while clinging to behaviors that didn’t align with my faith. I would say I was a Christian, but then cheat, lie, or engage in damaging habits. In my quest for perfection, I thought these actions were harmless ways to achieve what I wanted. Deep down, they contradicted my commitment to Christ. Instead of feeling fulfilled, I felt empty and far from the abundant life of freedom Jesus promised.
During my seventh year of struggling with an intense eating disorder and addiction to exercise, God broke my foot. I still remember asking Him “Why?” and hearing John 14:15 in reply. Godly people don’t mistreat their bodies or others. But it took time for this mental illness to heal. It also took time and reflection for God to convict my heart and soften my spirit.
Friend, I don’t know what you’re struggling with today, but I know that true obedience is more than half-hearted devotion; it’s about aligning our lives with the entirety of truth, even truth that makes us uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s ugly stripping away the things we once clung to, but on the other side of full obedience is His fullness of freedom and love.
