God, What Do I Do? Making Wise Decisions in Uncertain TimesSample

Obedience Sets You Free

Sometimes, obedience is exhausting. It can feel easier to cut corners instead of completing the directive with which we’ve been charged. Maybe we need to reframe our view of obedience. Instead of it being a pressure to perform, what if we viewed it as a matter of being set free? Of abundance instead of lack? Or life instead of death?

Today’s passage in Judges 1 does not mince words. It calls out the failure of some of the tribes of Israel to fully drive out the surrounding nations. They cut corners and reaped the consequences. It is a stark reminder of humanity’s desperate need for a Savior. The Israelites were to be set apart, not enmeshed with sin. Time and time again, God was gracious to His wayward people. He wanted— and still wants— better for them and for us.

A little sin, a little disobedience, a little dishonesty can work its way into our lives and negatively impact us in a big way—leading us away from wise decisions and leading us toward bondage instead of freedom.

When we’re weak, He is strong. When we fail, He succeeds. When we confess our sin, He forgives. Jesus’s obedience saved lives. In Him, we are truly forgiven and freed, released from the clutches of captivity.

God loved His people and knew what was best for them; therefore, He instructed them so that it would go well for them. His commands of obedience have always been given out of His fierce love for us. Ultimately, God sent Jesus to live among His people so He could, once and for all, provide deliverance from sin—theirs and ours. His influence can turn us from disobedience to obedience if we willingly grow in our trust of Him and cooperate with Him as willing children who want to honor their Good Father.

Not sure what to do? Not sure which way to go? You can’t go wrong by obeying God.

As we wrap up, read through the OBEY acronym.

Opportunities to trust God’s character are gifts to grow you.

Blessings await those who follow God’s commands.

Exercising your faith strengthens your faith.

Yielding your will to God’s leadership is wise.

God’s instructions in the Bible are saturated with wisdom and rooted in His rich love for you. He is trustworthy.

Dear Jesus, Forgive me for not completely obeying You. I need Your help to trust You more. Help me not to view Your commands as prohibitive but as protective, not as limitations but as liberty, and not as restrictions but as wisdom. You do not want me to be bound by the chains of bitterness, shame, rebellion, revenge, fear, unforgiveness, or any other sins. In many ways, I have called the shots and been wise in my own eyes. But You see it all. You know it all. Lead me back to You. It is time for me to put the past behind me, along with my old ways of thinking. Renew my mind according to Your never-changing truth (Rom. 12:1–2). May what I think about, say, and do honor You (Phil. 4:8). Amen.

What is one specific way you will obey God today?

If you enjoyed this YouVersion plan, check out God, What Do I Do?: A Bible Study on Judges 1-5 About Making Wise Decisions in Uncertain Times by Katie M. Reid to continue studying Judges 1-5 and learning how to make wise choices. You can also connect with Katie online at KatieMReid.com!