Incomplete Obedience

Sometimes we know God tells us we should do something but we don’t do it because we don’t have all of the information or we don’t understand everything.

In John 9 Jesus anointed the eyes of the blind man and told him to literally go the place Sent.  He didn’t first tell him why.  All he did was give him instructions.

The blind man may have asked himself, “why should I do what this random dude said?”  He may have humbly gone expeditiously.  We don’t know.  But we do know that he took his simple instruction from God, obediently went, and literally *saw* a miracle as a result.

We don’t always understand why God does what He does, and that’s ok.  But when we get those moments of knowing what He did say, even if it’s not a lot of information, even if we don’t get it, we should always listen to Him.

His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are above our thoughts, but He will always work things for good to them that love Him.

One sunny day while walking I asked God, “which way should I go?”  I felt like He led me left.  A few moments later I felt like He led me to go back right.  This happened a few more times turning back and forth.  I asked myself, “Am I hearing from God or am I just tricking myself to walk in circles?”  The final times I was tempted to stop questioning my direction and just walk where I wanted to go but before I stopped I, with perfect timing, ran into a struggling man in desperate need of the Lord.  He encountered God in a touching way that day, but if I would not have listened to the direction I was given I wouldn’t have ever met him!
There have been plenty of examples like this in my life.  Whether walking to an empty area God led me to, only to find there were people I didn’t see from a distance in need of prayer… or being led to say something that sounds crazy to someone only to have them start crying in realization that they heard a word from God.  From the healing of physical injuries to brightening someone’s day with a smile, if you listen to God when you only have partial information know that He will fill in the blanks to bless us, even if we don’t find out everythi on this side of Heaven.

1 Comment

  1. Yes I understand quite well the thought pattern of is that you God? Or it it just my simple brain. On night I was studying my bible and I hear a internal strong voice say o impossible I have a central alarm .fire! I think to myself fire !nooo … Again I hear fire more urgent I don’t smell smoke alarm quite my husband is in bed all is quite now third time fire!!! I run upstairs sure enough my husband is sleeping under a comforter with 4ft flames coming up. I grab it wrap it into itself and run to the b.r. throw it into the tub and turn on shower out. Husband unharmed fell asleep smoking. I knew t. hat if God wants you you to hear him he will persevere. Yes sometimes I need to be hit over the head by a 2by 4 . But if I listen I will hear him still small or booming urgency. If you are thinking gods way where else do you thinks your thoughts will come from? If it will not hurt anyone just do it. He will teach you. Bless God!

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