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I Need You to Answer 3 Questions About Obedience…

August 21, 2012 • 15 Comments

I Need You to Answer 3 Questions About Obedience…

Inspired Tuesday, Titus 2 Tuesday, Open Your Heart Tuesday, Obedience, 1 Peter, Bible

{1}  Have you experienced suffering and loss while following Jesus and serving Him obediently?

{2}  What did Jesus teach you/show you during and since your experience?

{3}  What would you tell someone who’s presently suffering or who’s experiencing a loss while being obedient?

Please, PLEASE answer the questions in the comment section below.

Feel free to share scripture, recommendations, suggestions, encouragement and anything inspirational.

I’m confident someone needs to read what you share, gleaning from your experience while clinging to this verse:

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ~ 1 Peter 5:10

Titus 2 Tuesday / Open Your Heart Tuesday / Not So Ugly Duckling / Me, Myself, and I

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15 Comments
  • Cyndi Spivey

    1. Yes, I lost my mom in 2009 to gastic cancer. The most difficult thing I’ve ever gone through in my life.
    2. Too many to mention all of them here but here’s a few: He IS with us and comforts us during those very dark days and nights. He gives us strength during suffering that we never knew we had. Life is a gift and is fragile, make every day count!!
    3.Run to Christ! Tell Him everything you feel even though he knows. Also, look for blessings in the midst of your suffering. Sounds weird but they are there and looking for them makes such a difference.

    • StefanieYoungBrown

      Bless your heart, my friend!! I lost my daddy in 2003 following a stroke. It sounds like your relationship with your mom was as tight as mine was with my daddy. I was a definite daddy’s girl. Yes, heaven is sweeter, but those of us left behind try to put the pieces back together. So thankful for His comforting hand and strength through tremendous loss. Loss is not punishment, just a part of life.

      I second your comment: “Run to Christ!” Run hard, run fast!!

      Thank you for commenting and sharing such a deeply felt moment.

      Have a wonderful day, Cyndi!

  • http://www.bluemarblegod.com/ Melanie Gillgrist

    Good Morning. The first thought I had were our miscarriages…but then was thinkng they weren’t necessarily while being obedient to Christ. Then came to mind when we moved from Seattle.
    1. After much prayer and counsel responded to God calling us from the church we had planted and the seminary where my husband was teaching Greek and Hebrew. We felt like Abraham being called from something but not yet knowing to what we were called. We had assumed it would be to church planting again. It was two years of unemployment or working close to minumum wage jobs for my husband with a masters in engineering and a masters of divinity.
    2. Oh there was so much. One of the greatest was dependence on Him. At just the right time we would have a check come in the mail from someone…we even had someone generously offer to pay for our son’s whole year of preschool. God showed us he can provide through ways we couldn’t imagine, his resources are unlimited. Also the verse, “your love is better than life” would keep coming up. I remember thinking do I believe this is more than a nice poetic psalm. Do I believe his love is better than job security, than me knowing the plan, than even being in ministry. Also now looking back I realize how much my trust in his goodness has increased as well as not worrying about the small things.
    3. Don’t compare your loss or suffering to someone else. What you are in the midst of is part of your story, don’t dismiss it or cover what you are feeling. Engage it with God- all of it. He can handle it. Read the psalms. So full of people pouring their hearts out to God. Write your own psalm or lament. Let people in, even when it feels so hard to do (trustworthy people). Use support, resources. Letting people help, not only blesses you, it blesses them and is part of what God is doing in their life.
    Oh gosh, I could write a book.
    Thanks for the questions!

    • StefanieYoungBrown

      Oh, Melanie… I can’t tell you how I related to each word, each comment you made. You’ve echoed what my husband and I have experienced from leaving our “homeland” and venturing into the unknown to not knowing if 2 nickels would be found to rub together. Yet, HE IS FAITHFUL! As you, time after time, day after day, miracles came. We look back now (over the last 4 years) amazed at home God has provided and strengthened us and our marriage. For the humanistic standpoint, we should have declared bankruptcy and divorced. But God…

      Although not comparing is difficult, you’re exactly right!! Our walk and call is different from everyone else. Comparing shifts our eyes off of Him and will for us to others and what we “think” is His will for them.

      Oh, I pray you get a ticket to Allume!! Selfishly, I want to sit down and have a face to face conversation with you.

      Have a blessed day, my friend!

  • http://twitter.com/ALifeSanctified ~ Felecia ~

    Stephanie ~ I love the Charles Swindoll quote you’ve used, “The path of obedience is often marked by times of suffering and loss;” but I would change it up a bit. Everyone’s path is marked by seasons of suffering and loss – it’s a fact of living on this world ruled by the prince of darkness. It is when one is obedient to Christ that one can more readily see the gift that is within the season and receive peace (and other gifts) from that knowledge.

    What Jesus teaches me in these times is to cleave onto Him even more tightly than normal. “Cleave” is an archaic term but I like it in this situation because it offers more than grasp – like grab and hold on tight all rolled up together. Follow Him, stay close, He’ll lead me out. Cleave … like white on rice.

    And that’s what I would tell anyone who is experiencing suffering and pain and loss. Thank God He is with you. Praise God that He won’t leave you now or ever. Follow Him more closely than you ever have before. Read His word, pray continually, and get yourself amongst other believers. You will find the gift in this horrible situation. Only He can show you.

    Blessings in His Name,
    Felecia

    • StefanieYoungBrown

      Felicia,

      I like your “change” to the quote: “Everyone’s path is marked by seasons of suffering and loss – it’s a fact
      of living on this world ruled by the prince of darkness.” I wholeheartedly agree. Adding “seasons” speaks better to what I envisioned when I posed the 3 questions.

      Cleave may be archaic, but it is no less true. We must hold to him with all our might, choosing HIM above all.

      I praise Him along with you that He is faithful, ever present and will not leave us. What a good Father!

      Thank you for sharing your wisdom and insight!! I’ve gleaned greatly from it:))

      Have a blessed day!!

  • http://twitter.com/WeLiveInspired Rebekah

    I would tell people that unfortunately, loss is a big part of life and that it doesn’t have always have a lot to do with how obedient you are. I think a lot of Christians (myself included in the past) sometimes ask, “Why me God? I have been good. I have followed you. I am a good person. Why are these things happening to me and not to some of the other “bad” people I know who are not following you?” I would just tell people that I don’t think God is punishing you, but rather that the enemy will try even harder to bring down those that are faithful to God. Satan wants to shake our faith, make us question God, and keep us from being the person we are meant to be in Christ. I know, because I have experienced many losses (starting with my best friend in high school to brain cancer when we were only 15)and suffering and trials too. I do think sometimes God allows things to happen to mold us in to the person we are meant to be, to draw us closer to Him, to make us more compassionate and able to do His work by reaching others who are suffering, and also to let us experience what true JOY feels like. After all- we can’t know true joy and gratitude, if we have never experienced real suffering and loss.

    The scripture says that “All things work together for GOOD to them that love the Lord and to those who are called according to HIS purpose.” I have been working on my trust in this area, as I can’t see the bigger picture always, but God can. One thing I have noticed in trials and losses though is that God does not leave those who love Him comfortless. Even though we endure trials, many times I marvel at how God finds a way to meet my needs so I can get through these times with Grace.

    “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” :)

    • StefanieYoungBrown

      Rebekah,

      Thank you for sharing part of your life that proved challenging and difficult.

      I love the wisdom you shared in your comment: ” I do think sometimes God allows things to happen to mold us in to the
      person we are meant to be, to draw us closer to Him, to make us more
      compassionate and able to do His work by reaching others who are
      suffering, and also to let us experience what true JOY feels like.” I completely agree, my friend. When the bottom falls out, clinging to Him is our salvation ~ period.

      I’m thankful that ALL things DO work together to them that love the Lord and that He’s faithful and comforted when our hearts are filled with mourning. He’s such a wonderful Father!

      Have a blessed afternoon…

  • http://theemptynestexpress.com/ Ms. Kathleen

    My goodness… So many times really. The loss of our baby girl. I can say I just about lost my mind for awhile I was in such grief but the Lord brought me out. I fell on His promises and know someday I will see our little Precious again! The suffering and death of my Dad… who died from pancreatic liver cancer four years ago. Watching him suffer was unbearable but once again, I knew Dad was going to Heaven and would be completely healed. My back problems and surgery… And many other trials but I will not waver in my faith. I know who my God is and that he has a reason for – whatever – we are going through. His ways are not my ways (thankfully)… I count it all JOY – The Joy the Surpasses All Understanding. He is my only Hope. Have a blessed day!

    • StefanieYoungBrown

      Oh, Kathleen… We must live on and cling to His promises. So thankful for the reunion that awaits you and your darling little one. The joy of Heaven is inexplicable this side, but what we’ll experience on the other is magnificent!

      And your daddy… I lost my dad in 2003 after a stroke prompted by a brain bleed. Praise God for eternal healing!!

      I’m so thankful with all you’ve been dealt you’ve remained faithful to HIM, trusting Him and countint it all joy!! What an inspiration, my friend!

      Have a beautiful evening…

  • Sylv_R

    I hope my comment went through. (I spent a lot of time on it, and it seemed like it might have gotten “lost.”

    • StefanieYoungBrown

      :( (( I’m sorry to say I don’t see a comment other than this one.

      • Sylv_R

        Darn! I don’t know what I did. Clicked a wrong spot or something. Maybe I’ll try again (in Word, and then copy and paste it.) It’ll have to be at a late time, though. I really thought these were questions well worth taking time to answer. And I have experienced some stuff! And God’s given me insights through it. (But you do already have some mighty good replies below.) Thanks for your reply. God bless!

  • http://myjourneytoauthenticity.com/ Meredith

    {1} Have you experienced suffering and loss while following Jesus and serving Him obediently?

    Yes. A lot. God told me that I would marry my husband the day I met Him. If He hadn’t revealed it in such a big, unexpected way, I would NEVER have stuck around for the wedding. It was a bad year. A very bad year. Just after we were married, it got even worse. But, I KNEW, even though I didn’t understand, that I was supposed to be married to him, supposed to stand by him. Even though it seriously looked like life was falling apart… and it kind of was, I stayed. Nobody understood, because I wasn’t allowed to talk to anybody. My parents knew, but they weren’t believers yet, so they didn’t understand what was driving my decisions.

    And then God worked, and things slowly became beautiful. But, in the midst of the beauty, we suffered an ectopic pregnancy. It was devastating.

    {2} What did Jesus teach you/show you during and since your experience?

    That even though it doesn’t look safe, or good, or like any place any reasonable or rational person should venture, where He is leading is ALWAYS the best place to be. If I had not obeyed, I would not have the beautiful life, the ministries, the children, the blessings that I have now.

    And also that HE IS ALWAYS there. I cried out to Him over ,and over and over again. And HE ALWAYS comforted me with His love, His peace… Zephaniah 3:17 is true.

    {3} What would you tell someone who’s presently suffering or who’s experiencing a loss while being obedient?

    Oh…. everything that I said in number two. :)

    • StefanieYoungBrown

      I’m in we of the exhibition of faith you shared! (I knew you were a jewel the first time we connected online.)
      You’re absolutely right –> His leading is ALWAYS the best place to be. I’ve lived out of HIS will and in it. May I remain in it continually!
      Oh, and the Zephaniah verse… Praise HIM!
      Love you, sweet friend!

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