God wants us to obey out of love for Him, not out of concern for the consequences if we don’t do as He commands. True obedience comes from the heart. Obedience rooted in fear is compliance, which stems from a power differential, not love. Think about your closest, most intimate earthly relationship. What motivates you to do favors for them or listen to their recommendations? Would you prefer they do what you ask out of love for you or fear the relationship will be damaged if they don't? What do you think the difference is?
When we obey God, it can impact us and the atmosphere around us. It can create a domino effect on our loved ones that changes future generations for the better. Do you have anyone in your family whose obedience to God paved the way for where you are in life? How has that affected how you live today?
It can be difficult to obey God and trust Him fully with the results, not concerning ourselves with what we will get out of it. It's important to remember that we work for Him and that He doesn't work for us. When we obey God, the motivation should be to advance His kingdom, not our own. What's something you're having a hard time obeying God in? Is it how you take care of your body or how you treat others? Is it to start doing something or maybe to stop doing something? Think about your reasons for not obeying and shift your focus away from the end result. What's one step you can take towards obeying God's instructions for this situation?
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