Does your yes matter?

Where are you in your faith?? How would you describe this season in your walk with Christ?

Several years ago, I felt stuck, frustrated, bored, disillusioned and even apathetic in my faith. I’m not sure I would have articulated it like that at the time. However, I found myself struggling. Not necessarily, articulating these struggles in my head, rather debating them in my heart.

I wondered, but mostly doubted, if following God would be enough to satisfy my soul. I read His Word, but failed to live it. I somehow believed if I read it enough, one day I would miraculously live it without even having to try.
I was stuck in apathetic living due to an anemic faith but I also desperately desired peace, adventure, passion, and satisfaction for my soul—the abundant life.
I was bored with the monotony of life but also aware of a nagging conviction from God in my heart I didn’t know how to pursue and feared its pursuit would fail to deliver the satisfaction promised.
I was frustrated because I wanted more of God but was not sure how to get it or what was the next step.
Finally, I was beginning to experience a deep seated desire for purpose and legacy.

I wanted answers.

Real answers for real questions for my real life.

I started asking and God started answering. Not unusual, it wasn’t a direct answer rather He set me on the journey to the answer. And the answer was surprising. Obedience. Ironically, obedience was the answer to overcoming my fear, doubt, frustration, disillusionment, passivity etc.

Sounds crazy, right? But it’s true. I’ve lived it.

Don’t get me wrong. I haven’t perfected obedience or any of the other things. I’m a work in progress. However, I’ve noticed the more obedient I become to God, the less fear, doubt, frustration, disillusionment, etc. I experience. My peace, purpose, passion, and satisfaction seem to be proportional to my obedience to God.

I’m not talking about obedient when God asks you to take a colossal leap of faith. I’m talking about obedient in the mundane, seemingly trivial tests of obedience.

For example, God put a friend on my heart. He wanted me to send a text message. He wanted me to reach out and encourage her in the faith. I resisted His prompt because I was busy. I didn’t know what to say or how to say it. But mostly, I resisted because I feared her rejection.

Eventually, I obeyed and was met with a lukewarm reception.

The lukewarm reception is not the point. The point is, I’m not sure why I needed to reach out and I may never know. God might use it in a way I’d never guess, or maybe it was a test for me.

Jesus said in Luke 16…Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much….

Often, I’m tempted to believe it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if I send the text or yield to the seemingly small awkward act of obedience When I get a lukewarm reception, it reinforces the idea. But it could not be further from the truth. These small acts of obedience are the building blocks, or the training ground, for the big acts of obedience. If I can’t be trusted with the small, I won’t be trusted with the big.

So, my yes matters. Your yes matters. Our obedience matters.

God uses our obedience to build our faith and trust in Him. He teaches us how to listen for his prompts. He builds our courage and boldness to overcome the awkward moments. He shakes up the monotony of life. And before long, we realize the God of the universe interrupted our day with a special assignment we didn’t see coming. We may not always get the response we hoped, but when we do we experience joy and satisfaction for our souls. And even when we don’t get the response we had hoped, God lavishes us with His peace. He reminds us we aren’t responsible for the outcome just our obedience in the process.

I’d love to know your yes, your awkward or trivial act of obedience, or your colossal leap of faith. Hope you’ll share in the comment section below. If you feel stuck and can’t think of one, ask God to give you one. Then keep you eyes open, ears tuned and heart ready for God to prompt.

Say yes!!