Sunday Reflection: Growing in Obedience / Charles Stanley

 

Sunday Reflection: Growing in Obedience

God teaches us obedience so our faith will increase and our life will be transformed.

To get the most out of this devotion, set aside time to read the Scripture referenced throughout.

Any good gardener will tell you the importance of staking new plants. The braces provide support and help plants grow straight and tall. In teaching us obedience, the Lord similarly redirects our natural inclinations so we can grow in a Godward direction.

As we mature in our faith, we see that the Lord is teaching us how to submit ourselves to Him in ways both big and small. And yet He never forces us to comply. That means obedience isn’t passive; it’s a decision we make again and again until we’ve completed our time on earth.

Remember that even Jesus practiced the discipline of submission, and—as always—He serves as our role model (Heb. 5:7-8). Like Him, we must choose to live obediently, even when what we’re being asked to do is hard or painful. This willingness to listen and follow, no matter what the cost, glorifies God and transforms us in ways we never imagined (2 Cor. 9:13).

Think about it

• Have you been fighting against the Lord’s guidance? How can you begin to make a better choice and grow in obedience to Him?