Part 1 — Obedience: Where Following Begins

While many people desire God's promises, very few are prepared to follow Him when it gets difficult. However, Jesus does not start with success, influence, or gifts when He talks about following Him. He starts by being obedient. And he makes a clear connection between it and love. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” That fundamentally alters what obedience means. Jesus is not talking about coerced behaviour or frigid faith. He is talking about a heart that has actually come into contact with Him. True obedience is based on love for the One who first loved us rather than fear of punishment.

This is significant because if Christ is taken out of the center, obedience can quickly turn into performance. Individuals may start attempting to show themselves to God, wearing themselves out in the process of projecting a strong spiritual image while their hearts subtly drift apart. However, biblical obedience does not begin with increased effort. Giving up is the first step. Obedience is frequently much less dramatic than people think. It appears to be silent decisions taken on a daily basis most of the time. It appears to be prioritising the truth over conventional wisdom. It appears to be letting go of things that used to control you. When pride wants to remain angry, it appears to be forgiving. When no one else witnesses the fight, it appears to be staying faithful.

Obedience will eventually face the parts of us that still crave control, which is where a lot of people struggle. There are times when we want God to direct some aspects of our lives while ignoring others. However, Jesus does not request a partial submission. He exhorts us to follow Him completely, believing that even if we don't understand His path right away, it leads to life. Abraham heeded God's call to leave his familiar surroundings even though he had no idea where the journey would take him.

Abraham's obedience was based on faith in the One who called him rather than on total understanding. That still holds true today. Before revealing the complete picture, God frequently reveals the next step. Obedience will seem expensive on certain days. There are days when God's Word calls you in a different path while your emotions draw you in a different route. There are days when it seems easier to compromise. However, these are frequently the locations where the most profound spiritual development takes place. God is interested in moulding the heart as much as altering actions.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote:

“When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.”

Because following Jesus has always required surrender, those words are significant. In order for something bigger to develop within us, something must die. We cannot go where Christ is calling us with pride, self-rule, old identities, hidden sin, or the urge to always be in charge. However, obedience does not entail instant perfection. It has to do with direction.

It is about turning back to Jesus in the face of setbacks. maintaining faith in Him despite weakness. "Your will over mine," he continued. The gospel's beauty lies in the fact that Jesus never invites us to follow a path that He declined to. He lived in complete obedience to the Father, all the way to the cross, so that we could be transformed, forgiven, and restored via Him. This is where the rest of the hike starts.

Obedience deepens prayer. Obedience develops discipline. Obedience is the foundation of spiritual maturity. Genuine love for Christ starts to mould a person's life, not because obedience demands God's love. It will cost you something to follow Jesus. But as time passes, you start to understand that giving yourself over to Him is actually finding your life, not losing it.