A few days ago, my husband and I were driving to see our family after a long and hot day of serving alongside a local church. Naturally, we were tired and a bit cranky after a grueling day outside. A few minutes into our drive, an argument erupted, and feelings were instantly hurt.
(What were we fighting about? …I have no idea!)
Although I started noticing a pattern of how the enemy started turning my husband and me against each other at other times we had served together as a couple, he had the advantage of our exhaustion to his benefit on this particular day. I wanted nothing more than to show my husband how wrong he was. My hurt turned into anger. I was precisely where the enemy wanted me.
At that moment, something happened. I felt a gentle nudge in my heart to “take my thoughts captive” and pause. I didn’t want to pause. I wanted to prove my point. All I could feel was hurt. Then another nudge, “place your faith in me over your feelings.” This was hard. My feelings felt so much more tangible at that moment than faith.
As I sat there quietly, God continued to nudge me and remind me of His word for the next few moments. The Holy Spirit reminded me of the importance of obedience, especially during periods of difficulty when every part of you wants to appease your fleshly instinct. The steps that followed became more manageable when I took the first step of obedience to take my thoughts captive and rebuke them. I started praying for my husband. I started asking God to help me see my husband as His child first. I asked God to help me extend grace and mercy by reminding me how desperately I require it myself.
We drove past a local park as I sat there praying all of these things. Internally, I wished I could stop and go for a walk. To my surprise, my husband turned the car around without any words exchanged and stopped right in front of the park. He asked me to come on a walk with him. God was showing me the fruit of obedience by answering my prayers at that moment and speaking to my husband at the same time.
Once I laid the burden of my feelings in front of God, took little steps of obedience, and denied my selfish instincts, the overwhelming anger I felt a few moments earlier was replaced with compassion and understanding. As we continued to walk through the park, my husband put on worship music. As he did, the sound of worship filled the air, replacing the noise of our quarrels.
At that moment, I was reminded of Proverbs 3:5 (ESV) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Once we placed our trust in God despite our feelings and understanding and choose to obey, we made way for the Holy Spirit to move within us. We lovingly came to a resolution.
I hold this tiny little testimony dear to my heart as a reminder that our obedience matters the most during the mundane moments that make up the majority of our lives. Our obedience matters the most when tempted to appease our desires and defend ourselves. I pray that this testimony will serve as a reminder and an encouragement for you to trust God and choose obedience when you least feel like it in the mundane moments of your everyday life.
Isha Zaitz
Promotions Director, STAR 93.3
That was so inspiring, thank you for sharing. God is so good, so loving and my life would be empty without him. God bless you
Thank you for this nugget of faith and wisdom. The craziness of the times we live in make it SO easy to loose sight of the only things of any real value, Him and our Faith in Him. Keeping those firmly in front of everything else, and sometimes it is SO hard to do, is exactly what we need to do and, I believe, what He wants us to do.
This truly is encouraging, as obedience truly is one of the hardest things for us fleshy people to do. Especially during a time of disagreement or misunderstanding. Patience is so vital, and love above all. God Bless!