Trust & Obey

Posted On February 28, 2021

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 MSG

We all sometimes wonder what our purpose is and which path we should take in life. We may second-guess our decisions and regret our choices. We may even question God’s thinking at times. But the good news is that God really does have a plan for our lives. And no matter what mistakes we have made, Romans 8:28 assures us that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV). God sees everything and He knows everything, including every choice we have made or will make in our lives. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He has placed us when and where we are for a reason. Clarence L. Haynes, Jr., in his book The Pursuit of Purpose, states that “God has a purpose and plan for you that is necessary for the day and age in which you live.” God knows what He is doing, and we can trust Him to lead us.

” . . . for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.”

Ephesians 1:11 NLT

So what is His plan? Well, first of all, as Rick Warren explains, it’s not about us:

“The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.”

Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

Clarence Haynes and Rick Warren both remind us that we will only discover our purpose through a close, personal relationship with Christ. In fact, fellowship with our Lord is the main reason for our existence. God desires a relationship with all of His children. So as we search for meaning in our lives, we should keep in mind what God wants: He wishes to transform us into the image of His Son, and He calls us to help others find Him so He can do the same for them.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

God created each one of us with a specific purpose in mind, and He equips us for the job. Only by discovering His plan for our lives do we find joy and fulfillment. Rick Warren tells us:

“The purpose of your life fits into a much larger, cosmic purpose that God has designed for eternity. . . . One day you will stand before God, and he will do an audit of your life, a final exam, before you enter eternity. . . . From the Bible we can surmise that God will ask us two crucial questions: First, “What did you do with my Son, Jesus Christ?” God won’t ask about your religious background or doctrinal views. The only thing that will matter is, did you accept what Jesus did for you and did you learn to love and trust him? . . . Second, “What did you do with what I gave you?” What did you do with your life — all the gifts, talents, opportunities, energy, relationships, and resources God gave you? Did you spend them on yourself, or did you use them for the purposes God made you for?”

Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

The only way we will find our true purpose and identity is by turning our lives over to Christ. We do this by trusting Him and obeying what He tells us to do — no matter what. Even hardships and suffering can be used for His purposes. He doesn’t promise a life free from problems, but He does promise to be there to help us face them.

“Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat — I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self.”

Luke 9:23-24 MSG

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

Isaiah 26:3 NLT

Rick Warren says, “Living on purpose is the path to peace.” When we turn our lives over to God and let Him lead us, we can let go of all the anxieties and fears that go along with trying to find our own way. Our job becomes simple: stay connected to God and obey whatever He says. That’s it. He will take care of everything else. Of course, simple doesn’t necessarily mean easy. It’s can be hard to obey, especially when we don’t understand what He’s doing. That’s why trust and obedience must go hand in hand.

“To trust [Christ] means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him.”

C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

God knows what’s best for us, and He knows what’s necessary to prepare us for the future. He’s the only One who can see what’s coming. We don’t have to fumble in the dark, wondering what’s going to happen. When we trust Him to guide us, He will make sure we are ready and able to face whatever comes. The first step is to listen for His voice. We can’t follow Him if we don’t know what He’s telling us to do. He speaks to us in many ways, but for most of us the main way He communicates is through Scripture. We must be disciplined about spending time in His Word every day, coming to it humbly and prayerfully, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal His will. He can also speak to us in prayer if we remember to stop talking and listen. As we seek Him more and more, we will learn to hear His voice better and better. It takes some practice and discipline, but God doesn’t hide from us. He wants us to find Him. He wants us to hear Him. He promises in James 4:8 that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.

“Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees. The circumstances and obstacles you observe today may be truly overwhelming, but God’s resources are even greater and more powerful than you can imagine. God knows what is ahead and He is ready to deal with it. Therefore, put your faith in Him and obey whatever He says.”

Charles F. Stanley, 30 Life Principles

“Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me.”

Exodus 19:5 NLT

As followers of Christ, we are God’s “own special treasure” and He wants to bless us and use our lives to bless others. When we obey Him, we can be part of the amazing work He is doing. The Weekly Prayer Project says, “God knows your heart. When you pray for something earnestly with the desire to glorify God, He loves to respond in miraculous ways.” I have seen this in my own life. When I let go of my own plans and obey Him, He blesses me in ways I never could have dreamed. Charles F. Stanley assures us: “Obedience always brings blessing. . . . As your Creator and Owner, God knows what is absolutely best for you, and He wants to see it accomplished in your life. . . . Therefore, obey God with confidence, knowing that you will be blessed when you do.”

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:4 ESV

“But when we have said that God commands things only because they are good, we must add that one of the things instrinsically good is that rational creatures should freely surrender themselves to their Creator in obedience. . . . for, in obeying, a rational creature consciously enacts its creaturely role, reverses the act by which we fell, treads Adam’s dance backward, and returns.”

C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Trust and obey. That’s the only way to find our true purpose in life. Clarence Haynes reminds us, however, that our main priority isn’t to find God’s will but to find God:

“Don’t stress over trying to figure out the plan. . . . spend your time experiencing the joy that comes from building your relationship with Jesus. This is the most important thing. I can assure you if you get this right then God will certainly make sure you get the rest of it right. . . . The most essential ability God will use in your life is availability. Make yourself available and watch what he will do.”

Clarence L. Haynes, Jr., The Pursuit of Purpose

This week’s Scripture passages focus on trust and obedience. There is a printer-friendly pdf version below the image. I have also included a video of “Trust and Obey.” This hymn is beautifully performed by Kaoma Chende, who is singing all four parts. As the lyrics remind us, and as I have learned on my journey so far, trusting and obeying the Lord really is the only way to be happy.

” . . . if you’re committed to pursuing an intimate relationship with God, trusting and obeying Him in all circumstances, then you will know that you’re receiving His very best for your life — which is far better than you could ever obtain on your own.”

Charles F. Stanley, 30 Life Principles

References:

• Haynes, Clarence L., Jr. The Pursuit of Purpose: How to Discover God’s Will for Your Life. The Bible Study Club, 2019.
• Hiltibidal, Scarlet. The Weekly Prayer Project: A Challenge to Journal, Pray, Reflect, and Connect with God. Zondervan, 2017.
• Lewis, C. S. A Year with C. S. Lewis: Daily Readings from His Classic Works, edited by Patricia S. Klein, HarperSanFrancisco, 2003.
• Lewis, C. S. “Mere Christianity.” The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics, Harper San Francisco, 2002, pp. 1-177.
• Stanley, Charles F. 30 Life Principles Study Guide: A Study for Growing in Knowledge and Understanding of God. Thomas Nelson, 2008.
• “Trust And Obey | Kaoma Chende.” YouTube, uploaded by Kaoma, 9 November 2018, https://youtu.be/tNEaZ97wZZo.
• Warren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Zondervan, 2002.

Images:

• Sunrise Path featured Image by Tim Hill from Pixabay
• Sign Posts image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
• Sunset Path image by jplenio from Pixabay
• Autumn Woods Path image by Valiphotos from Pixabay
• Sign Post in the Mountains image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
• Beach Path image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
• Path in the Fog image by Ingo Jakubke from Pixabay