Obedience When It Doesn’t Make Sense By Rick Warren
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
If you’re a follower of Jesus, he calls you to a life of obedience—even if it appears foolish to other people, even if it doesn’t make sense financially, and even if you don’t understand it and are scared to death.
Luke 5:4-5 says, “When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets’” (NIV).
Jesus had stepped into Simon Peter’s boat. But he didn’t stop there. He also started giving this professional fisherman instructions on how to fish!
Notice Peter’s reaction. He didn’t argue with Jesus. He didn’t say, “Excuse me, Lord. You’re a carpenter. I’m a fisherman. And those fish aren’t biting! Who are you to tell me how to do my job?”
And he didn’t hesitate. When Jesus told him to launch the boat, he didn’t say, “Why don’t we think about this for a minute? Let’s form a committee and vote on it” or “We’re pretty dirty and tired here, Lord. How about we try again this afternoon?”
What did Peter do? He responded to Jesus with unquestioning obedience.
I don’t know what God has told you to do, but I will tell you this: Disobedience always hurts you because you miss out on God’s blessing in your life.
But when you say, “God, I don’t understand it all, but I choose to obey you no matter what,” you’ll experience a life of purpose and peace. His instructions don’t have to make sense to you; you just need to follow them—trusting him in faith.
The Bible says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).
You can trust God because he always has your best interest in mind, even if you can’t see it right away.
Rick Warren is an innovative pastor, renowned author, and global influencer known for founding Saddleback Church, the Purpose Driven Network, the PEACE Plan, and Hope for Mental Health. He has written several best-selling books, including The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold over 35 million copies in 200 languages. Time magazine named Warren the most influential spiritual leader in America and one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Since stepping down from the lead pastor role at Saddleback in 2022, Warren has continued to inspire people through his Daily Hope Devotional and podcast Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope. His first book in a decade, Created to Dream, was released in April 2023.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
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