It’s been just over five years now since myriad circumstances led my husband and I to make a vow of obedience. At a very low point in our lives, we decided the most important thing to us was to obey, no matter the cost. We decided that if suffering was going to be a part of our lives, we were going to walk through it with a purpose and that Jesus was the only purpose worth suffering for.
Thankfully, our station in life improved (or maybe just our perspective). Either way, we began to find joy again. The minute we made the decision to obey, our life changed. We’ve been really uncomfortable, we’ve said yes when it doesn’t make sense, and we’ve been overwhelmed nearly EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. However, for the first time in our lives, we’ve seen God show up EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Along the way God shapes us and gives us what we need in moments that humble us, reminding us how much we need him. When we choose each day to obey, we’re lead into His presence and God’s presence opens a door to His power.
Romans 5 says, “Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoiced in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
I recently finished a book called “The Insanity of God”. The author, Nik Ripken, summed it up this way:
“Before we can grasp the full meaning of the Resurrection, we first have to witness or experience crucifixion. If we spend our lives so afraid of suffering, so averse to sacrifice, that we avoid even the risk or persecution or crucifixion, then we might never discover the true wonder, joy and power of a resurrection faith. Ironically, avoiding suffering could be the very thing that prevents us from partnering deeply with the Risen Jesus.”
I want to partner with Risen Jesus. I want to experience New Testament miracles in my daily life. The direct path to those things starts at obedience.
Interested in learning more about “The Insanity of God”? A movie based on the book will be playing in select theaters one day only – August 30th. Find more details here.
~ Trisha Bowman
Christ Fellowship member