Trust And Obey

[Jesus said,] “Believe also in Me. . . . Keep my commandments.”

John 14:1, 15

One day a struggling Christian visited his minister. “I’ve read books on discipleship,” said the visitor, “taken theology courses by correspondence, and stayed up late doing assignments for my Bible study group. But I’m confused. Can you tell me how to be a victorious Christian?”

Pulling a hymnal from its shelf, the pastor opened to these words: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

That’s it in a nutshell. Sometimes the Christian life isn’t easy, but it’s always simple. We walk by faith and live in obedience. Godliness is the simplicity of taking God at face value, doing what He says, and watching Him bless our lives.

Sometimes in trusting and obeying, we find ourselves wanting to do God’s part as well as our own. Perhaps you have a problem that seems to have no answer—maybe a wayward child. You can do your part to pray, love, and communicate. But then you must trust God to do His part to convict, convert, and change.

Every problem is an opportunity to trust; every situation is an opportunity to obey. And when it comes down to it, every part of our Christian life falls into those two categories: trust and obey!

For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey.

JOHN H. SAMMIS