Obeying God, no matter the cost, is at times a very difficult thing to do.
In looking back at the past 10 years of my life, I've had to make many difficult decisions. Some of these decisions required a releasing of my will over to God, in exchange for His will. Sometimes this happened over and over again in many different scenarios.
Over the past 4 years I've been in a battle for my life, a battle of having metastatic breast cancer. I've laid on the table of the CT/PET scan eight times, wondering what the outcome will hold. Wondering if this is the time that the cancer has spread even further. Eight times I've had to dig down deep and tell God, no matter the outcome, "I will love you God, no matter what."
Because here is the thing.
We don't live in a world of controlled outcomes.
Sometimes life is down right nasty and hard.
When we're faced with these times we have a choice. Surrendering it all to God, knowing that his ways are best, or holding tight will clenched fists thinking that our plans will bring far greater rewards. Oh how naive we can be.
The second choice is a very dangerous and slippery slope. If we are not careful. It will cost us everything.
This week we're in chapter 4 of our study of, "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God," by Lysa Terkeurst.
Saying Yes to God, can bring so many rewards. But, it's a process. We have to want it no matter what, and we have to be willing to take the steps to get there.
When we decide we want to obey Him with all our hearts, it starts with focusing on Jesus. It's matter of radical obedience. Going above and beyond the mundane, to a new perspective, one in which our whole lives are fixed on Him.
"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord." ~ 1 Peter 3:15
It's Christ's love that pushes us to choose the act of obedience. "If Christ is the very source of radical obedience, and it is His love that compels us, then it is His power that enables us to do what were called to do. " - Lysa Terkeurst When we come to this point of growing closer to God, the enemy will step in and try to distract us and tell us to not choose the way of the Lord.
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world."
~ 1 John 2:15-16
The enemy will try to distract us with physical, emotional and psychological pleasures that fall outside of Gods will. However, we have a choice. We have a choice to refuse the temptations and walk in step with the Father instead.
As I stated above, when we make pursuing God the first desire of our hearts, it will come to the point that, difficulties will arise. If our faith and love for Christ is sincere we will not waiver in serving Him, no matter the cost.
"This kind of radical obedience brings about a depth of relationship with God you can't get any other way. Nothing in life is certain. Circumstances roll in and out like the oceans tide. The unknown can sometimes seem so frightening as we ponder all the tragic possibilities that we know can and do happen to people. We catch ourselves wondering what the next page of life might hold. We can't stop or control the things that roll our way any more than we can stop the waters edge. But we can make the minute by minute choice to let out souls rest in God." - Lysa Terkeurst
When we take the step of making our "Yes to God", first and foremost in out loves, it may not always be an easy road, but I promise you.
IT WILL BE WORTH IT!
Are you ready to begin your adventure of having radical obedience as you pursue Jesus? I know I am. There is nothing I want more! How about you?
It is time for our Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesday Link Up. We desire to connect women of God with one another and encourage each other in Christ. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and visit a few blogs. Be encouraged and share your own stories in their comments.
Use the hashtag #w2wwordfilledwednesday!
Three rules to this link up:
1. Must be a {Christian} faith post.
2. You must link back to W2W somewhere in your post.
3. You must visit and comment on at least one other blog in the link up.
Such beautiful words friend.
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