8:30 a.m.—out on the front porch with a jug of milk. Once again my mouth had gotten me in “God Trouble.”
A few months ago, a tenant called because her refrigerator had stopped working. I took the message and passed the information along to our Property Management department and resumed my work. Two hours later she still hadn’t received an update and somehow I wound up on the phone with her again.
At this point she’s a little upset and while I understood her plight I felt I had handled my responsibility. I’m not one to engage in foolish conversation. I let her talk. I didn’t say much of anything. I didn’t raise my voice. But, finally she yells, “Well what do you expect me to do…feed my baby spoiled milk?”
I’m thinking…”Well that’s just stupid. No. Be resourceful. Get some more milk. Grab a little cooler. Fill it with ice and make due until the situation is resolved.” I didn’t SAY that, but at this point in the conversation I couldn’t muster any compassion.
So, the next day I hear God telling me to go apologize and take some milk. Whenever God tells me to do something I don’t want to do I have tendency to rationalize it.
“God didn’t say that. Besides I didn’t do anything to her. If she had a caught me a few months ago I probably would have said what I was thinking. She got off easy. God should be proud of me.”
But, when God wants me to do something He lays on me until I obey. So, I said I would do it. But, another day passed because I wasn’t sure what type of milk to get. What if they have allergies? What if they only drink soy or almond milk? I like 2%, but maybe they like whole milk. I knew the type of milk didn’t matter. I just did not want to do it.
However, as I went to write that day I noticed that I encountered a great deal of difficulty. The words just didn’t flow and I did not understand until God afforded me an important revelation.
Blatant disobedience disrupts our fellowship with God. There’s interference in our connection with and to God. We damage our gift and ability to serve and be used.
The things that we are anointed to do with ease…become challenging. God is our source. Obvious, blatant, known, intentional disobedience is that kink in the water hose that keeps the water from flowing. We may get a few spurts of water, but the continuous flow of power that we have in Christ is disrupted.
Too often God, Our Father, tells us to do something and we delay, hesitate, rationalize, justify, and make excuses without realizing the impact it has on our relationship with God. We seek guidance and pray for a breakthrough, but the entire time we’re sitting in disobedience and forfeiting our opportunity to see and experience God.
“I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.”Psalm 119-60 (NIV)
So, today ask God to help you discern the areas of disobedience within your life. It may not seem like a big deal, but whatever God reveals to you…do it. Send that thank you card, make that phone call, smile at the person, send that email, stop watching that show, or don’t go to that place. Ask God to help you obey Him. Stop damaging your anointing, gift, and ability to serve by choosing to knowingly disobey God. Adhere to the convictions He’s expressed through His spirit to you. Cooperate with the Holy Spirit. Recognize that your obedience is for your good. Don’t allow those kinks in the hose to interrupt your flow in His spirit. God is our source. Stay connected.
Ashley Ivery is a single mother of two brilliant children, Aiden and Devyn, with an overwhelming desire to empower women and help them to realize the importance of a relationship with God. Through her writing she hopes to encourage women to claim their strength and value in Christ. She graduated from Fayetteville State University in 2012 with a BS in Psychology. Her motto is: “Be Authentic. Live Honestly. Dispel Light.”
[Photo: Garrett Gill, Creative Commons
