The ‘dirty’ word we don’t like to talk about.

Can I talk about a "dirty" word for a second? We don't like talking about this word, but it has changed my life recently.

I'm also going to use something revolutionary I came across in the Bible today to make an important point about that word.

So, here's the word: "obedience."

I know, some of you just cringed. And you may have even just determined EXACTLY what I'm going to say, and you've already written this off. But if you hang with me for just a second, I think you might be surprised, challenged, or encouraged.

Listen, I've been a part of faith traditions, denominations, and churches that abused that word — especially when it comes to faith. And so for a long time, I was the one cringing when I heard it. But recently — over the last nine months and especially the last couple months — I've found a freedom in obedience that has transformed my life and my thinking.

I think (actually, I know) it could change you, too.

In the simplest of senses, obedience is doing what we are told and what we know to be right and true. As that pertains to faith, it's doing what God tells us to do.

It's that simple. But it's that hard.

"How do I hear what God is saying to me?" That's probably the most foundational question. I'll save the intricacies of that for a later post, but for me I've found I hear God in my journaling time in the morning. And when I "hear" God (not like an audible voice), it's my responsibility to do what he says.

For a long time, I bristled at that for the reasons mentioned above. But after going on a retreat last May and being encouraged to press into the idea of obedience, I thought I'd give it a try. Novel, I know.

So I did. I sought out what God was telling me in my journal and in the Bible, and I started acting on it. Like, really acting on it. Very practically.

If he told me to meet with someone, I met with them.

If he told me to send an email, I sent it.

If he told me to stop doing something, I stopped it.

Today, because of that obedience, my life both externally and internally looks very different. There's an inner peace that has led to external transformation. I'm seeing things happen in my life, even in my head, that I never thought possible.

All because of obedience.

OK, but what about the Bible reference I mentioned at the beginning? Here's where that comes in, and it really wrecked me this morning and drove home the idea in a new way.

Here's the summary:

Obedience can and will look different at different times in our lives. What God tells us to do during one season may be completely different than what he tells us in another. And just because he wants us to do something one way today, it may not be what he wants us to do tomorrow, or next month, or next year. And we HAVE TO be humble enough to do exactly what he says, in the way and in the time that he says it. That's important.

In the Bible, we see this with that great Israelite leader Moses. Some of you may have heard the story where the people under him were complaining about not having water. In response, God told Moses to "speak" to a rock and water would come out. Angry and frustrated, Moses hit the rock instead. And while water did come out, it's not the way that God wanted it to happen. Moses disobeyed. As a result, his punishment was never getting to the Promised Land.

But did you know that there's an another instance in the Bible where Moses is told to do something very similar? There is. It's actually the first instance, and it literally happens in the same city/area.

In that instance, the people are complaining about no water again, and God actually tells Moses to hit the rock to have water come out. He does. Water flows. Everything is good.

So the first time, Moses did what he supposed to. He obeyed. He got water to come out of the rock by hitting it. The second time, though, he was disobedient. He was told to talk to the rock. He didn't. And while the result was the same (water coming out of the rock), the means were all messed up. And he was punished for it.

Stay with me.

What does that show us? It shows us that the ends are not what's important. It's the means. God desires our obedience. He wants us to listen to him. That process creates a relationship. And in that relationship, obedience to him always ends up for the better.

Disobedience on the other hand? Well, even if we get what we want, it comes at a great cost. For Moses and for us.

I know, that's maybe a little deep. It's maybe not what you want to hear. But it's true. When God tells us to do something, it behooves us to follow what he says, in the way he says it. We can't try cutting corners just to get to the result we want and that even he wants.

Because there is something internal that happens to us when we obey. We get peace. We get clarity. We get more of him.

I've found that to be so true in this season. And I want that for you, too.

Be obedient. When our culture calls that a dirty word, do it anyway. I'm telling you, there's something so much better waiting for you on the other side of it.

So, what's he telling you to do? What will be your act of obedience today? Whatever it is, it's worth it.

(Pic: I found a tree this weekend that had grown around a rock. It was incredible. I found it fitting for this post. What is your rock, and how can you grow around it?)