How to Obey When It’s a Struggle
Good Advice I Didn’t Take
I’ll never forget it. I was 12 years old and I had just gotten a cool new outfit for Christmas. Blue and black Umbro shorts and a matching quarter-zip sweatshirt. (Umbro was cool back then for soccer fan families like us.) The day after Christmas we scrounged up a street hockey game with some friends across town. I got dressed in (duh!) my new Umbro outfit and headed out the door. My mom stopped me and strongly suggested I change clothes. She warned that I’d probably be cold in shorts (since it was like 30 degrees outside. Yes, that’s cold in Georgia). I shrugged her off. My dad echoed her concerns and said something like, “I’m not gonna stop the game and bring you home if you’re cold, so you might want to wear something warmer.” Yeah. Right. I was looking good and refused to change clothes.
Half way through the street hockey game, I was working up a sweat but admittedly, my legs were cold. (DANG IT!) In fact, the longer we played, the more my legs stung from the chilly wind. Being the nonathletic quitter that I am, I gave up the game and went to sit in our van. I thought the car would surely be warmer than the winter air, but I was sorely mistaken. Inside the van was just as nippy as outside. I remember curling up into a tight ball in the back seat, trying desperately to imagine some far off balmy beach and fall asleep. Not much helped as I waited another 90 minutes for my dad and siblings to finally finish their street hockey game and return to the van.
It’s a small moment of time that still stands out as significant to me. It was the day I realized my parents might actually not be stupid.
Have you ever gotten sound advice that you decided to ignore?
Ever been told to go one way but you went the other?
Been told don’t, but you do?
Told do, but you don’t?
God’s Advice the Israelites Ignored
The Israelites in Jeremiah’s day could definitely identify. After one of their own assassinated Bablylon’s appointed vassal king, the Israelites ran to Jeremiah for advice.
Is Nebbechanezer, the king of Babylon, angry?
Will he come after us in revenge?
Should we stay put or flee to nearby Egypt?
They were scared and desperate for some divine direction. Jeremiah agreed to pray on their behalf, asking God for guidance. Then days later, Jeremiah shared God’s answer with the anxious band of Israelites:
“He said to them, This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition, says: ‘If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I have relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you. Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him, declares the Lord, for I am with you and will save you and deliver you from his hands. I will show you compassion so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your land’ “(Jer 42:9-12).
“Just stay put,” God told His people. “Stay here. There’s no need to run off to Egypt. Remain here in Israel, and I will protect you. Don’t worry about old King Nebbie. If you just chill here, I’ll cause Nebbie to be compassionate towards you. You’ll be safe. I promise.”
Obedience: The Struggle is Real
God’s advice was clear, but it didn’t make much sense. The Israelites were just sure King Nebbie was itching for revenge. It was only a matter of time! Why in the world would they stay and wait like sitting ducks?!?! The answer was clearly Egypt. It was right next door, and Egypt had everything Israel didn’t - peace, food, safety. Yeah, God said to stay here, but Egypt was clearly the better option.
And surprise, surprise… God knew what the Israelites were thinking. He knew their fear and saw them calculating routes to Egypt, so God doubled down to make sure His instructions were crystal clear. He spoke again through Jeremiah:
“Then hear the word of the Lord, you remnant of Judah. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and you do go to settle there, then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die’” (Jer 42:15-16).
God’s directions were simple, but obeying was tough. Their common sense screamed, “Run! Go hide in Egypt!” Following God’s advice meant the easiest and safest route was actually deadly, while the dangerous, risky road was really safe. It made no sense. So what did they do? They packed up and followed Google maps to Egypt. And later, just like God had warned them, King Nebbie invaded Egypt and killed them all.
Huh. Who saw that coming?
When we start with surrender, obedience is the natural next step.
Seriously, though. It’s easy to point fingers at the stubborn (and maybe stupid?) Israelites, but don’t we often do the same thing?
We read God’s Word and know what we need to do to obey. Then we don’t.
We know the good we ought to do, but we don’t.
We know there’s a more godly way to spend our time or energy or money, then we don’t do it.
Surrender: The Solution to the Struggle
Yep, there’s gotta be some Israelite blood in us somewhere down deep, cause we’re not much different. The majority of the time, we know what we need to do to live in obedience. It’s actually DOING it that’s difficult. The struggle is real. What’s the answer?
Surrender. Again and again. On the regular.
Some might say, “I did that already. When I became a Christian, I gave my life to Christ.”
True. But how many times after that have you tried to take it back? Tried to regain control? Take back the reins? We’re human, and part of our sin nature is a self-serving pride that says, “I know better than God. I’ve got this.” This was the Israeltites’ issue. They understood God’s directive: stay put. But their pride whispered doubts and suggested another route. That pride is one reason we struggle to obey. So surrender has to happen repeatedly. Regularly.
I find that the mornings are a great time for this. Whether it’s during my morning quiet time, or on my drive to work, or in the brief moments alone in my classroom before the chaos begins, I try to find time to stop and surrender:
God, I am not my own. I was bought with a price. My body, my life, all that I am, is yours. Lead me today. Use me for your kingdom work. Bring yourself glory in and through me today, God.
So go ahead: raise the white flag. Surrender. Admit your weakness and access His strength. Confess your sin and dress in His righteousness. Acknowledge your limited knowledge and trust His omniscience.
When we start with surrender, obedience is the natural next step.
