IT’S NOT DIFFICULT, BUT IT’S A CHOICE
What I am commanding you today is not
too difficult for you or beyond your reach.
DEUTERONOMY 30:11
The Christian life isn’t difficult. The same Christ who lived a perfect, obedient, and sinless life stands prepared to live it again through you (see Gal. 2:20). God’s will isn’t hard to discern. He’s given us the Scriptures, which reveal His will, and He’s placed His Holy Spirit within us to guide us to His perfect will in every situation (see John 16:13). Our greatest challenge is to wholly commit our lives to follow God’s will obediently as He reveals it.
Moses gathered the Israelites before they were to enter the promised land. God described what they had to do in order to obey Him, giving detailed instructions so that they wouldn’t misunderstand what He expected of them. Then God asked them to make a choice. If they chose to disobey His commands, they’d face His wrath. If they chose to obey, they’d receive His blessing.
God’s Word comes to you in the same way. It isn’t too complex to understand. The question is, How will you respond? Nowhere in Scripture did God excuse disobedience because His instructions were too vague or complex. Condemnation always came because people knew exactly what God wanted them to do, yet they chose not to do it. God, through His Holy Spirit, always gives you sufficient revelation and strength to take the next step with Him. If you’re uncertain about what God’s asking of you, make sure you’re obeying all you know at the present time. Through your obedience God’s next instruction will become clear.
Your life is the sum of the responses you’ve made to God. Once God makes Himself known to you, what you do next is your decision. Your reaction reflects what you believe about Him. The rich young ruler lived a moral life. He was well versed in Scripture and in the laws of God. But his response to Jesus’ invitation clearly showed that although he possessed a head knowledge of God’s teachings, he didn’t know God in an experiential way that could be demonstrated by a response of faith (see Matt. 19:16-22).
God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. Anytime you hear from God, you have a choice to make. This truth can dramatically affect your prayer life. Every time you pray, you must be aware that if God answers your prayer and reveals His will to you, it will immediately require you to reorient your life. Each time you read your Bible, you must be prepared to obey what God tells you.
Why did God use Moses so significantly? And why were others, like the rich young ruler, never heard from again? Choices! Moses chose to believe, and his belief was proved by faithful action. The rich young ruler couldn’t bring himself to obey, and Scripture tells us that “he went away sad” (v. 22). You’re faced with the same question as the rich young ruler. Will you respond positively to Christ’s invitation? Will you choose to follow Jesus, trusting Him with everything in your life? God is asking you to make a choice.
In what areas of your life have you been overcomplicating God’s will or feeling confused about what He wants you to do?
What specific command in Scripture do you know you’ve been neglecting or failing to obey?
How can you constantly remind yourself to choose obedience to Jesus?
What was the most meaningful statement or Scripture you read today?
Reword the statement or Scripture into a prayer of response to God.
What does God want you to do in response to today’s study? [Henry T. Blackaby, Richard Blackaby (2014). Seven Realities for Experiencing God – Member Book. LifeWay Press. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]