Obeying When It Makes No Sense
I had opened the dryer one night to fold towels, and reaching in, I noticed they were all still damp. I didn't think much of it, just assumed they needed more time. So I closed the dryer door, added more time and pressed start.
Coming back thirty or so minutes later, I reached in, and it was not even the slightest bit more dry.
I check the vent. All good there.
Hmm...
I go out to the garage and turn off the breaker, hoping this is an easy fix.
I wait a good fifteen to twenty seconds, then turn it back on. I go try the dryer again and let it run for a few minutes. I open it and feel inside.
No warmth whatsoever.
Frustrated that damp towels will be sitting in a dryer overnight, I did what every diligent homeowner does.
I went to bed.
Apparently I was more tired than frustrated because the thought of setting all the towels out to air dry didn't last more than a second or two.
The next day, I call a repairman and he comes to check out the dryer. I tell him about my experience and he suggests we go try the breaker one more time.
I'm thinking, "Sure, okay, but I know how this will go. I already tried this."
I did more than think that, I said it, but in a nicer way, "Yeah, I tried this last night, too."
He was close in age to my dad and I could tell by his mannerisms and kindness that I reminded him of a daughter or niece. He looked at me and smiled and said, "But, did you have one foot in the air while you did it?!"
I laughed and said, "Well, of course, not! I forgot that part..."
Making a stressful dryer moment more fun, we both stood in front of the breaker with one foot in the air while we counted to fifteen aloud.
He flipped the breaker back on and we went inside to check the dryer.
Y'all, sure enough, the dryer started working!
Now, who's to say if it was the one-leg trick or not, but I will forever think of this when I interact with the breaker.
And you know, this makes me think of how Peter and the men must have felt when they went fishing and caught nothing that night. Frustrated, tired.
But Have You Tried...?
Then, the next day - when the optimal time for fishing has passed - Jesus tells them to go back out. Then, says,
"Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." - John 21:6
I wasn't there, but I have to think Peter might have wanted to roll his eyes at this. It was like the "have you tried standing on one foot while you did it" kind of moment. "Cast on this side, and you will catch fish."
Peter had to have been thinking, "Sure, okay, but I know how this will go. I already tried this. Don't you see we fished all night and came up empty-handed? I gave it my all. There are no fish. Zilch. Zero." But he says,
"Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." - Luke 5:5
"...but at Your word I will."
Powerful words of obedience.
I imagine Peter reluctantly walking up to his crew, probably rubbing the side of his nose as he delivers the unpopular and laughable news that they are going back out.
He didn't understand - and he was probably reluctant to do it - but he obeyed.
And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. - Luke 5:6
BREAKING!!
They caught so many fish that day, they filled not one but two boats! They had to get other fishermen to help!
"...but at Your word I will."
When we study obedience in scripture - from Adam and Eve to Abraham to Saul to Esther to Rahab to Mary to Peter and all the stories in between and after - we see obedience doesn't make sense.
Let me say that again. Obedience doesn't make sense.
That is often how I know God is calling me to something - when I have a push to do something that is out of my comfort zone, that Candace would rather not do and that makes no sense.
For example, step down from Varsity volleyball your senior year in high school when you've finally made top setter/captain position.
Zero sense.
"...but at Your word I will."
Move from Texas to Oklahoma and leave a comfortable job as lead teacher in an incredible school and take a significant pay cut.
Zero sense.
"...but at Your word I will."
Trade the classroom for a cubicle and start in an entry-level position for which you are over-qualified.
Zero sense.
"...but at Your word I will."
Write a couple devotionals and books even though you have no audience to read them.
Zero sense.
"...but at Your word I will."
Start a blog.
Zero sense. (I always had thought bloggers were weird. Now, I know that to be true. We are weird. And by "weird," I mean passionate.)
"...but at Your word I will."
Time and time again, obedience doesn't make sense. That's because
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9
I don't know what all God has prepared for this. I'm not sure why He's led me to share all of these thoughts with all of you, but I do trust His ways are higher than my own.
What has God placed on your heart to do? What is that thing that you feel deep down inside you are supposed to do but it makes no earthly sense?
I want you to be filled with courage today to take that next step of obedience. What I've learned through practicing this myself is how with obedience is met with unexplainable peace and joy.
There's peace because I'm not stressed over trying to make it happen. He's the driver and I'm buckled in the seat next to Him.
There's joy because I cannot see myself doing anything else with my life other than being a voice of encouragement in a world surrounded by so much discouragement.
Here's the thing, He's given us all talents. He purposed these talents to be used for His glory.
So, when we come face-to-face with Him one day, will we say we used the gifts He gave us? Or, will we have excuses of how we were waiting for the right time - waiting for finances to make sense or the platform to support the book or all the other ducks we think should be in the row before we would take the step of obedience?
He hasn't asked you to take five steps. He's asking you to take 1 step. Then, He'll show you the next and, even more, He'll prepare you for it.
Let's find strength for obedience in the stories of scripture. May we find joy as we use the gifts God's given us and peace as we recognize Him leading us. May we rest in remembrance that His ways are forever higher than our ways and find the courage to use Peter's words, "But at Your word I will..." in response to His call.
And when that one step of obedience turns into a year of baby steps of obedience, blow up the balloon and celebrate His faithfulness to walk beside you and lead you through it all.
The good life, well it starts with a good day. Then another. Then another. Let's choose to live #TheGoodDay one day at a time.
I love hearing from you, so go ahead. Leave a comment. Be brave. Maybe your comment will speak life into someone else!
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