If we listen and obey God, we are promised many, many blessings from the Bible. This is a truth that I have personally seen happen in my own life, time after time. But the tough part is this; it is a step by step process.
Wouldn't it be great if we could be on step #1 and suddenly jump to step #100, or whatever the final step was. I would love that! But what I have found in my walk with God is that it comes step by step. God tells me to do something and I obey - and that is a step. Then He tells me to do something else and I obey - and I have completed step two. Every step I am moving closer to what God has for me.
However, perhaps I don't like step three - maybe it doesn't sound like something I want to do - so I decide to jump ahead and go to step four, ignoring step three. My friend, you may want to try that, but it won't work. You can't go on until you complete the last thing the Lord told you to do.
Remember the scripture in Philippians 3:14, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He wasn't pressing toward the prize, but toward the 'mark.' The mark is the step. Each time you complete a step, you are closer to what God has promised you in His word. Each time you ignore a step, you come to a standstill.
Let nothing stop you from pursuing God. Let nothing stop you from pressing toward the mark. Don't let anything or anyone stop you from obeying God, step after step.
Often the things that God tells us to do are easy like - "call your friend and encourage her", or "buy that person a meal." Those are easy and we are glad to do them. But there are times that God tells us harder things to do like - "apologize to that person who offended you, even if it's their fault", or "forgive, forget and walk on." These things are not so easy and are the things that cause us to stumble and hold us up from completing that next step. But is it really worth it? Is that thing that you don't really want to do worth stopping you from walking in the promises of God? Is disobeying God worth giving up your blessings or giving up the things you are believing God for? No, absolutely not! Actually, those things that seem difficult, aren't usually as difficult as they seem once they are done - and obedience will take the weight of not obeying off you immediately.
Sometimes God desires that we do things that are not convenient for us ~ I had something like that happen just this weekend. I had family come in unexpectedly from out of town. With it being the holidays, I had a busy weekend planned. But, family is family, and this is my Dad's family and most of you know that my Dad went to be with the Lord a couple years ago. His family from another city was trying to stay in touch with Daddy's girls, so they traveled here. They planned to be here for two days, so I decided I would cook for them on the first day and spend a few hours with them and then they could visit my other sisters the next day.
I cooked and we spent time together and had a great time. As they left, I felt satisfied that I had done all I could to make their visit good. However, just a short time after they left my house, I got a call that let me know that the rest of their plans for that evening hadn't went well ~ and their feelings had gotten hurt in the process. So, I began to ask the Lord what I could do to make their visit good for the rest of the time. I cleared my plans and focused my thoughts on them and their happiness. It wasn't what my flesh wanted to do, I had plans, but I felt it was the 'right thing' to do. The right thing to do may not always be convenient for us. What God would have you do may not always be what you would choose. Sometimes we have to put other people's needs ahead of our own. Sometimes God wants us to sacrifice and sacrifice isn't always easy. But the reward is great. While my weekend didn't go as planned, I have confidence that I did all I could to make it pleasant for others and that alone blesses me. It was what I felt the Lord would have me do. You know sometimes God tells us clearly what to do and sometimes we simply know in our heart the right thing to do.
Perhaps today you feel like you are at a standstill. If so, look and see if you did the last thing that God told you to do. Often we put off obeying God because we have commitments or obligations or maybe we are not sure that we are equipped to do what He is saying. If God is telling you to do something, I can assure you that everything you need to accomplish it is on the inside of you already. Step out there and do it. I also know that sometimes we don't do things because we are afraid, I love what Joyce Meyer says in that case, 'do it afraid.' I have had to do a few things that way this year and really, it's not near as bad as the enemy wants you to think it is.
Step by step, we must obey and follow God, if not, we are often at a standstill and will be unable to move another step forward until we obey the last things He said to do. You can tell if you are on the right track and moving forward by one thing; peace, do you have peace? One day, I was driving home from a meeting far from my home and the Lord spoke this to me, 'go back to where you last heard my voice clearly.' I realized in a moment that I had gotten into fear and made a decision, a wrong decision, and a wrong move. But I turned around and went back to where I missed it and made the right decision and the right move and peace returned. So you see, it is never too late. Even if you feel God has told you to do something and you went the opposite way - you can still go back and reach the mark. He is ever merciful - His mercy is new every morning. He wants you to hit the mark more than you want to. He wants to shower you with blessings more than you want to be showered with them.
Again, whatever God has laid on your heart to do that will bring you to the next step - one step closer to your promise - go ahead, do it. It won't be nearly as hard as you may think - and you get closer and closer to God with each step of obedience. What could be better than that! Remember, the willing and obedient eat the good of the land. Taste and see how good the Lord is today - listen and obey! As you are quick to obey - He will be quick to bless.
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