The Joy of Obedience
đź“– Scripture:
“If you love me, keep my commands.” — John 14:15 (NIV)
âť“Reflective Question:
Do you view obedience as a burden or a joyful response to God’s love?
Obedience to God is the greatest thing a person can do. It redeems the soul from the bounds of sin, it refreshes the mind with peace and fills us with a joy that is beyond understanding. Obedience shouldn’t be seen as a heavy burden; for it’s the key to spiritual freedom. Too often, we view God’s commands as restrictive measures to minimise our pleasures, but they’re actually the pathway to life as it was meant to be. As a matter of fact, it instead fills us with the greatest pleasure anyone can experience; which is when God is pleased with us.
When Jesus calls us to obey, it’s not from a place of control but of compassion. Christ is telling us to be obedient to our Heavenly Father as an act of love. For the commands of God aren’t just a set of arbitrary rules — but they’re an invitations to union to the mind of God. Obedience flows not from fear of punishment but from the overflow of a heart captivated by grace, but also the knowledge of God’s supremacy over their lives.
Think of it like this: a bird isn’t restricted by the sky — it’s the playground in which it thrives. Likewise, when we flourish in obedience to God, we live within the boundaries of God’s design for our lives. Obedience isn’t about “I have to do this and that”; but it’s about “I have the privilege to do this.” It’s a divine joy only given to us by our Creator wrapped in the act of complete surrender to our will in exchange of His command.
🙏🏽 Prayer:
“master Jesus, strengthen me through the Power of the Holy Spirit to see Your commands not as as a heavy burden but as the greatest gift anyone can ever receive. Teach me to obey You from a heart of love, and not resentment, finding a divine joy in walking in Your ways. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray.”
Amen.
