We have a habit of making what God has said more difficult. Just think for a moment about the idea of obedience. This is an attribute that we value in our children. But it is not the first thing that we think about cultivating in ourselves. What was the last time you thought about your own obedience? We might think abstractly about being obedient to God. But when do we consider what obedience looks like? This may be especially hard for Americans because we have been so ingrained to be strong and independent, but obedience insinuates weakness. We are supposed to make our own way, listen to our own hearts, and follow our own dreams. But if we are obedient we are following someone else’s direction and lead. Thinking about obedience like this makes us sound weak and indecisive. Like we don’t know what is best for ourselves.
The truth is though, that we don’t know what is best for ourselves.
God knows this about us and it is why when Paul was writing to the Corinthians he knew they would have a hard time understanding, just like we do. Like us, they believed that they knew what was best. They believed they had a grasp on what was wise and good. But Paul offered an inverted view. He said God would use what seemed foolish and weak to overcome the commonly accepted right path.
How often do we take the time to question our understanding of a situation as opposed to God’s command to trust him?
