Complete Obedience

Let’s be real for a second: most of us have a built-in resistance to being told what to do. As kids, we’d drag our feet when our parents handed us a list of chores — I can still picture my mom’s little smiley faces at the end, as if an emoji could make taking out the trash feel less annoying. My teenage self would tear that page to shreds, half out of protest and half just to feel like I had some control. Even now, I can catch myself going through the motions, outwardly “complying,” but with zero heart behind it.

That’s the tricky thing about obedience, especially with God. It’s easy to check the boxes, but real obedience — the kind God cares about — digs much deeper. The Bible makes it pretty clear: God’s after our hearts, not just our behavior. And when you start to pay attention, you realize that God’s instructions aren’t just random rules. They’re invitations to trust Him, even in the small, everyday stuff.

Take Deuteronomy 22:10 (NIV): “Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together.” At first glance, it feels almost silly. What does farming equipment have to do with faith? But here’s the thing — God uses even tiny details to shape us. Obeying in small matters leads to big changes, sometimes in ways you only see looking back. When God asks us to do something — even if it’s confusing, even if it feels pointless — He’s asking for trust. And honestly, obeying God never turns out to be disappointing.

Think about Noah building a boat on dry land, Abraham packing up his life and marching off to who knows where, or Joshua circling Jericho in silence. Obedience didn’t make sense in any of those moments. But every time, God used their trust to do something huge. When we obey, we get a front-row seat to His power. We start to see Him more clearly — and ourselves, too.

Here’s what I’ve learned: if you obey God, He’ll bless you with more than you expect. Sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes it’s subtle, but He always comes through. I love the story of the wedding at Cana, when Jesus’ mother says, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5, NIV). That’s the secret — just do it, even if you don’t get it. Obedience is always linked to trust. If you don’t trust someone, you won’t follow their lead, especially when it costs you something.

But obedience isn’t just about getting blessings. Don’t do it just to get on God’s “good side” or rack up spiritual points. Do it because you respect and love the Lord, because you want to honor Him. Jesus says in John 14:15 (NIV), “If you love me, keep my commands.” Love, faith, and obedience are all wrapped up together. The more you surrender, the more your life matches what He wants for you — and honestly, that’s where freedom is found.

Of course, there’s another side. When we ignore God — when we pick and choose which commands to follow — things tend to go sideways. Deuteronomy 28:15 (NIV) lays it out: “If you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees… all these curses will come on you and overtake you.” Disobedience brings consequences, not because God’s petty, but because He knows what’s best, and wandering from that always leads us somewhere we don’t want to be.

I’ll admit, I still sometimes treat faith like a checklist, or compare myself to others: “At least I’m not as bad as her.” But that misses the point. Romans 7 is painfully honest about how hard real obedience can be — we want to do right, but don’t follow through. The law shows us how much we need help, and that’s where Jesus comes in. We can’t do this alone. God never expected us to.

Through Jesus — His death, resurrection, and the Holy Spirit — we’re changed from the inside out. Obedience moves from duty to delight. It stops being about fear, and becomes a way to respond to His love. Like James 1:22 (NIV) says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

And here’s the wild part: when you obey, it doesn’t just benefit you. It blesses people around you, often in ways you can’t see. Your simple “yes” to God might be the answer to someone else’s prayer.

So next time you hit a Bible verse that feels tough or a command that seems small, ask yourself: Am I just checking boxes? Or am I letting God’s love move me to real obedience? His rules aren’t designed to hold you back — they’re meant to set you free. “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:28, NIV).
That’s where real life starts.