Simple Obedience

God asks us to give up all sorts of things, and it’s up to us to obey. A lot of times He even gives us a choice. Because... it’s our choice if we want to allow a place for Him to abide in us... or the world. Sometimes, it means giving up as little as a certain food, or a tv show, or sometimes it’s a bit of a bigger deal. Maybe it’s drugs, alcohol, or sports (Hey, it could happen). God wants to help us remove toxic things in our lives. The things He asks us to give up are generally things taking up space in our lives where He should be. Sometimes these things are small gods in our lives, and our real God is the only one who can see that. If God EVER asks you to give up anything... Do it. If God asks you to DO anything... Do it. With no hesitation.

 Let’s go to the Bible for a sec. More specifically, Exodus. As we read this book, we see God provide for the Israelites again …and again …and again. He gives them bread FROM HEAVEN. He gives them a pillar of cloud and fire to guide them through a desert. He provides water from a rock for goodness sake! What I’m trying to say is I’m pretty sure we can all see here that God is showing these people (and us really) how well He provides for us and how trustworthy He is. But still, we read how the Israelites doubt His goodness and trustworthiness because life wasn’t easy-breezy. However, we, as readers, go through this story with thoughts like, How could they not just trust God?! Look how evident it was that He was taking care of them. Why can’t they just obey Him?! Geez. I can’t believe THEY didn’t believe even though they had CLEAR signs of God's existence! And sure, all these thoughts are incredibly valid. I think them as well. How could they not just trust in the guy that is raining bread from the sky.

Now let’s jump back to our lives. Think of a time when God really provided for you. Think of a moment when you thought, Now THAT is a sure and true sign that God is real and that He cares about me. I promise there is at least one moment in your life, one miracle that was only possible through God. THAT is your manna. THAT is your bread from Heaven. So then, why do we doubt Him when things get a little uncomfortable. If we have our bread-from-Heaven-moment, why oh why do we hesitate to obey when He asks us to give something up for HIM? 

Imagine your life being written into a book, and then 2,000 years later someone is reading it. If they read mine, I KNOW they would be thinking the same thing we think when reading about the Israelites. And when has obeying God ever lead to a worse path. Sure, maybe things can get harder from time to time. We can read book after book about missionaries following God’s exact instructions and then ending up in prison. But read the story. Listen to the author. You know what they always end with? It. Was. Worth. It. Every time.

Recently God asked me to give up my favorite TV show of all time. The classic Friends. It was just the best. Humor? Got it! Romance? Included! Stellar actors? Casted! But, let’s be honest: If you’ve ever watched the show, you can probably agree it’s not the MOST beneficial and fruitful show. And something I have recently learned is when God asks us to give something up, it's usually because it’s limiting our relationship with Him. It’s putting a cap on our “power flow” from the Kingdom because we are filling ourselves with junk, and it’s taking up the space where God’s power is trying to get to. We are hindering ourselves. A quote that I heard that forever changed my life was in response to a question about watching movies with sorcery in them and watching shows like Friends. It was along the lines of: “It’s up to you and between you and God. But knowing that it’s hindering your connection with God… would you rather be entertained or raise the dead?” In that moment, I gave up Friends. That was it. I don’t want there to be ANYTHING in my life that is robbing me of God’s power and revelation. And you know what? I haven’t watched the show in almost 5 months. I haven’t missed it once. I have not once gone online and wished to watch it. Why? Because it was worth it. It always is.

It’s because of my simple obedience that countless opportunities have come my way for God to show me more of Himself. My journey really began back in December when God first asked me to leave home and join the Discipleship Training School with YWAM in Kona, Hawaii. When I got there, revelations began to flow. It was then that I noticed something was still hindering me (the show, Friends).  We had the talk about living lives of holiness, and I made the choice to give it up. And without Friends (or really any tv), I had so much more time to give to Jesus. And I used it to have personal conversations with God. And because of that, I was able to go deeper and deeper into the Word and into God’s character.

I’m still learning, and I’m still listening for God’s voice and calling. I’m tuning my ear to the prick in my conscience telling me to come back into alignment with God and pure living. It’s a process for sure. But it’s a good one. I am just waiting for God to tell me what my next steps in life are. Will it be going back to Kona for school? Will it be staffing on the YWAM base? Maybe it’s a Bethel School? I have no idea. But whatever He has, I know He will provide because of my obedience, faith, and His goodness.

So, I ask you in closing, why did the Israelites always go back to their unbelief? Because they refused to give up their idols God asked them to. Was it worth it for them? Go to Numbers 16:32 and see for yourself. The short and long answer is… NO. So what’s holding you back? What is keeping you from turning to look at God and saying “You are worth it.” Whatever sacrifice has been flashing in the back of your mind while reading this? Give it up. Pray and repent in this moment and give it up. I can guarantee that you will very soon find that this was no sacrifice at all, but an opportunity to “raise the dead.”

Andrea Witbeck

The Vineyard Church

Sullivan, IL