Yesterday we talked about King Saul and his mistake of partial obedience—and how easy it is for us to find ourselves in the same boat. Sometimes we fully obey God. Sometimes we partially obey. And sometimes… if we’re being honest… we flat-out disobey.

Have you ever felt that disappointment that comes after being disobedient to God? It’s a feeling I can only describe as a specific kind of heartbreak—one I would prefer to keep very unfamiliar. Saul didn’t just feel that heartbreak emotionally; his disobedience came with immediate consequences. God rejected Saul as king.

 Yikes. That’ll get your attention.

As I mentioned yesterday, the Bible has a lot to say about obedience. Just listen to a few of these:

James 1:22 tells us, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commands.”

And 1 John 5:3 says, “For this is what love for God is: to keep his commands.”

And that’s really just scratching the surface—but I think you get the picture.

So let’s come back to the question we’re wrestling with today:

Why is it such a struggle to obey God fully?

My first answer might seem obvious: we’re sinful people. Our natural tendency is rebellion. Even after we’re redeemed, there’s still a battle going on inside us—our sinful nature fighting against our redeemed nature. Or, to put it more simply… we don’t like being told what to do.

That’s why I like to say obedience is something we have to practice. It doesn’t just happen automatically. It takes intentionality, humility, and repetition—kind of like a spiritual workout. (And just like real workouts, sometimes we really don’t feel like doing it.)

But I believe there’s another factor at play here—one that might be even bigger than the battle between our carnal and redeemed natures. I think obedience is hard because, sometimes, we haven’t actually made God the Lord of our lives… at least not fully.
We’ve convinced ourselves that we have. We sing the songs, say the prayers, read the verses—but when it comes time to obey, that familiar feeling of rebellion pops up again. And suddenly obedience feels optional.

Listen, I’m not speaking as someone who has this all figured out. (Come back tomorrow—I’ll prove it.) But here’s what I’ve learned: when I truly trust God, trust His Word, and have genuinely set Him as Lord of my life, obedience shouldn’t feel like a constant fight.
Now, I’ll be real with you for a moment. When God says things like, “Wives, submit to your husbands…”—that’s not exactly my natural approach to life. I’m an independent woman with strong opinions and a strong personality. Don’t believe me? Ask my husband.

But I’ve learned that when God commands something, it’s always for my good. When He tells us not to let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths, but only words that build others up—I have to practice that one. Because my B.C. self—you know, the one from Before Christ—likes to make surprise appearances every now and then.

And here’s the key: when God is truly Lord of my life, His Word and His commands aren’t suggestions. They’re the standard.

There is so much more we could say about obedience, but I want to leave you with this thought today:

 When we practice obeying the commands God has already written in His Word, we are strengthening the muscles we’ll need to respond when He speaks directly to our hearts.
More on that tomorrow.

But for today, remember this simple truth:

Obey without delay.