Do I Trust God or My Illusions?

I was sitting at the kitchen table along with two of my kids, and the conversation went something like this:

Me: What did you guys talk about in church today?

Kid 1: Obedience.

Me: Oh, that’s wonderful! What did you learn?

Kid 2: We should obey God and our parents.

Me: Do you find it hard to obey Mommy and Daddy?

Kid 1: No.

Kid 2: No, it’s easy! Why would it be hard?

Me (slightly louder than a mumble): Hmmm…I think I know someone who might think it’s hard.

Kids 1 & 2: Shouts name of third child. Unnamed child then blasts out of her room and hangs her head over the banister so she can see us.

Kid 3: What? Are you guys talking about me?

Me: Well, sort of. We were talking about obedience, and your sisters said they found it easy to obey us. What do you think?

Kid 3: It’s so hard!

Myself and the other two start laughing. She waves her hands around and makes faces at us.

Kid 3: Well, it’s just that I don’t always understand, and I don’t want to just do something because you told me to if I don’t understand why.

BOOM! That’s when it hit me.

Me: <Insert name>, sometimes you just have to trust us. You have to know that we love you and want what’s best for you. There may be times that you don’t fully understand why we ask you to do things, but we still need you to choose to obey us as an act of trust.

How many times have I done this to God? How many times have I chosen halfway obedience or disobedience because I didn’t understand His why? How many times have I not obeyed His leading in my heart because I was afraid? That’s when I made a decision. Even if I don’t understand His purposes and plans, even if I am afraid, I can choose to obey His leading anyway because it’s not about my understanding, it’s about His. My obedience is merely a manifestation of my trust in His perfect love and wisdom, and is therefore really a representation of my relationship with Him. How much do I love Him? How much do I trust Him? How well do I know His character? How solid and secure am I in our relationship? That is the degree to which I will obey. His thoughts, plans, wisdom, and understanding FAR surpass mine. His ways are eternal, mine…well…momentary, at times VERY momentary.

Why should we allow fear or our inability to understand His eternal plan get in the way of what He wants to do in our lives? Is there no greater joy or purpose than living out God’s plan for our lives? Let’s not trade an illusion of security (fear) for true security in our relationship with Him. Let’s not trade an illusion of wisdom (ahem, mine) for His true, eternal wisdom. Let’s go all-in and show God how much we trust Him by choosing to obey His Word and His leading in our lives.

Thank You, Jesus, for Your ultimate, eternal wisdom and Your perfect love. Thank you that we can trust You with each and every breath and step in our lives. I choose today to trust You enough to obey You even when I don’t understand. I choose today to submit to Your leading in my life. Amen.