Faithful Obedience
Finding Strength in the Nearness of God
by Michelle Yancey
I don’t know about you, but some of my most creative thoughts come to me in the shower. So imagine my surprise when I heard, “Quit your job.” Lord, was that you? For months, I had been seeking God’s wisdom for a solution to my job dilemma. What I heard seemed so crazy and unrealistic that I quickly dismissed the thought.
Maybe you, too, have ignored or dismissed God’s voice because it just seemed too foolish for serious consideration. However, for me, there was no escaping those three haunting words—“quit your job.” As an accountant’s daughter, I wrestled with what to do. I knew that financially, the numbers did not add up to this being a wise choice. Who quits their job in an uncertain economy?
I found myself at a serious crossroads and agonized for weeks. To say this season was hard is an understatement. I could take the path of comfortable familiarity and stay put. Or I could take the path of faithful obedience, which only included one step—“quit your job.”
Moses was in a similar situation when he encountered God in the burning bush on Mount Horeb. When Moses approached the bush, the voice of God called out to him. “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). God had a perfect plan, but with such a big task ahead of him, Moses responded in fear. He immediately doubted who he was and felt underqualified to lead the Israelites to the promised land of Canaan.
Have you fought similar battles with fear when trying to make important decisions? Struggling to faithfully obey God regarding something he has spoken to you? This was a defining moment for Moses. An opportunity to say “Yes, God” and align his will with God’s will. Not just hearing the word of God, but acting on it.
Moses was finally able to muster up the courage to say yes to God because of a simple yet amazing promise. God told him, “I will be with you” (v. 12). The same God who created the heavens, the earth, and everything in it was with Moses. The same is true for us today. What amazing hope comes in the promise of his nearness.
As we face challenges that feel insurmountable, God is drawing us closer to him. And as we continually learn to completely surrender to his authority, he is deepening our faith.
What amazing hope comes from the promise of his nearness.
Even the apostle Paul knew the power of being near to Christ. In his letter to the church in Ephesus, he wrote, “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:16–17, emphasis added). You see, Paul knew that with the help of God’s Spirit in our hearts, we have the ability to fulfill whatever he calls us to do.
I was stuck as I stared at the blank screen before me, trying to pen my resignation letter. God was indeed with me, but the stubborn fears and doubts that flooded my mind weren’t suddenly erased. I needed divine power to close a ten-year chapter of my life. And just as God equipped Moses with power to confront Pharaoh, he equips us. Jesus declared, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16–17).
Be encouraged knowing that the same holy power that raised Jesus from the grave resides in us. God gives us the wisdom and courage needed to make the hard, uncomfortable decisions for our good and for his glory. So what is God calling you to do today? Will you choose to remember his nearness and the living power of the Holy Spirit as the first step in your decision-making? What’s waiting on the other side of our faithful obedience is a testimony of God’s love, faithfulness, and goodness.
Michelle Yancey is a wife, mother, marketer, and creator who weaves truth into stories that shape culture. @redemtivestorytellers
Scripture quotations are from the New International Version of the Bible.