The great difficulty about obedience is that it is runs counter to our instincts to do what we think is best. We don’t like the idea of substituting our judgment for that of others. Whether we realize it or not, our tendency is to trust our emotional responses to the circumstances we find ourselves in and the decisions we have to make. This can be a dangerous method to making important decisions in life.
The irony is that the season of Lent calls us to forsake our own impulses and tendency and intentionally do one of two things. We can set something we value aside or we can add something we know we need to do that is of spiritual value.
In the Christian faith, obedience is vital if we are going to see anything resembling maturity. If we cannot control our tendencies, insecurities, impulses, or whims we will find it difficult to make progress. This is why obedience is such an important aspect of maturity.
The greater our obedience the easier it becomes to know that we are living in a manner worthy of the Gospel. Our obedience is the expression of our inward convictions and understanding of God’s character and his commands.
The apostle John said as much when he said in his first letter.
3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:3 ESV)
Not only does the apostle equate our love for God with our obedience to his commandments, he adds this extra reminder. John lets the reader know that for those who are children of God, obedience should not feel like a burden! That is a remarkable thing to say. And it is an even more remarkable thing to experience. But, it all begins with a commitment to obey.
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