Obedience
Obedience. This word
keeps popping up. Everywhere. First it was my right foot. Two years ago, and mind you, I may have
mentioned this in a prior post and if I did, it’s okay, just hop on and you’ll
catch up, I was showing my husband this cool move my trainer had showed
me. Now before you start thinking “Great,
she has a personal trainer”…I don’t. I
did, for about two months. And it was a
love/hate relationship. Probably the
MOST love/hate relationship ever. It was
the most dreaded ten minute drive ever but when you had paid what I thought was
exorbitant, which it was a great deal but still a lot to me, you want to make
sure you get your hours’ worth. Anyone
want to say AMEN to that? I really wanted some accountability about my
exercises and I needed it. And I did
enjoy it when I finished working out. Before,
I was all over the place with the way I was exercising, the length of time and
I was justifying everything I was doing and just feeling fine about it. Anyway, I’m showing off the air thing where I
jump in the air and then land on one knee, sort of. There, you have the picture. Well, did I mention that we have stained
concrete? Yes, we have rugs. Not carpet that goes to wall but rugs. And I landed on the concrete. Concrete doesn’t give. No bounce.
No rebound. No space. Nada.
Nyet. None. Get it?
Almost negative bounce, if there was such a thing. So, did I tell you before this that I had
plantar fasciitis? And I traveled before
and I would look through the SkyMall magazine just like y’all have and have
looked at that word too and have looked at those blue thing-a-ma-bobs too and
thought “those poor people who have to model those must really be embarrassed,
not to mention the poor people who actually order those blue thing-a-ma-bobs
and wraps them around and up and down and between your feet and heels with all
the tabs.” Well, I got it. From all the years of walking, jogging, my
arches fell. How does this happen? Seriously.
How do your arches know to fall?
Why does gravity need to occur?
Come to think of it, I don’t like gravity at all!! That word is so harsh. I’m a gentle person, loving…and at a time in
my life where I want to smell the roses, I’m exercising up, up, up to keep
gravity from grabbing everything and taking it down, down, down…and gravity is
WINNING!! What is up with that? Before I get to obedience… Okay, so my right
foot lands on the concrete and I hear it.
Pop! Now ya did it! I’m one of those people that when I do
something, I do it good. I don’t go
halfway…just take it on home. Well, I go
back to the doctor and I tell him what I did and we schedule the surgery. He is a great doctor and having worked at the
surgery center, I knew of the surgery and was comfortable with it. Small snip in the tendon, a bump for a while,
good as new…wait, did I hear that right?
Six weeks off work? What? I didn’t hear that right. Not me.
I’ve had over eleven surgeries and I didn’t have that much time in the
bank at work. Only four days. I can do it because I just sit at my desk and
go to meetings sometime. Yes, I work in
the basement and have stairs but no biggie…right?
Fast forward…here we sit, two years later…I went for my
fourth steroid shot last week, in my right foot. Hurts to type it. Right to the bone. I guess it’s a constant reminder of my
DISobedience. The bump is still there,
although it has gone down. If I overdo
walking or jogging, I can hardly walk or put weight on that foot. Then a few weeks go by and I’m hobbling into
the doctor and it’s so inflamed, he has to give me a shot. Bottom line, I should have been
obedient. That is but a small slice of
an example of how disobedient I’ve been in my life when I’ve thought I KNOW
BETTER.
How often do I think I know better only to be disappointed,
more hurt, angry, wrong, and financially astray or chastened in some other
way? I’m learning pretty often. I’m learning to sit and listen for direction
instead of thinking I know better. In
the above example, I know I couldn’t have taken six weeks but could I have put
off the surgery for a few more months or taken four weeks off? Probably.
I could tell you other stories
too and probably have in earlier posts and will in future posts but suffice to
say the Holy Spirit has definitely been nudging me more and more regarding this
O word. I have been obedient about many
things in my life. But there are other
control things that I should have handed over to God instead of tackling alone. Why do we think we can do something better
than our Maker? Why would I ever think
that? As I hit 40 over a decade ago,
that thought hit me one day…square in the face.
Who do I think I am? And mind
you, this could be something small…or big.
Doesn’t matter. But in those
moments when I truly hand it over to Him, Life is sure a lot easier and less
stressful. Yes, my foot wouldn’t hurt
now if I would have been obedient than.
Yes, that situation would look different now if I would have been
obedient than.
Romans 1:5 NIV
Through him and for
his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among
all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.
John 15:14 NIV
You are my friends if
you do what I command.
2 John 1:6 NIV
And this is love: that
we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his
command is that you walk in love.
Lately, I have realized I am less of a fighter and more of
one who loves. We all have experiences
who make us who we are right now, today the very moment you are reading this. What is important is that we let go of the
bitterness, forgive and do not judge. What
if Jesus were to come right now? Are you
winning by holding onto that?
Luke 6:37 NIV
"Do not judge,
and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.
Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Holding onto these things doesn’t make me feel better or
resolve any situation. It keeps me from
Loving God and Love, simple. That verse in
Luke makes it very clear. Now, I’ll tell
you something. I’ve read the Bible three
times through, front to back (yes, even Numbers) and I finally got those simple
concepts. I know there is Hope for
me. (Smile) So, back to obedience…to wrap this up, I pray
that I’m more Obedient in every area in my life, in my marriage, at church and
anywhere God leads me. I hope that this
brightens your day and provides encouragement and witness for our Savior Jesus
Christ.
Share with another if it does!
Blessings!
Lisa
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