Trust and Obey

 “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron, gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock in front of them, and it will yield its water. Thus, you shall bring water for them from the rock and give drink to the congregation and their animals.’ So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him. Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock. He said to them, ‘Listen now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you from this rock?’ Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. And water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ‘Because you did not believe Me and did not hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.’”Numbers 20:7-12NKJV

I have always wondered why God was so upset with Moses that He kept Him from the promised land. Now, I understand!

God asked Moses to SPEAK to the rock, and water would flow from it. However, Moses STRUCK the rock, not once but twice. He did not do as the Lord commanded, as if he did not trust God at His word.

Moses took matters into his own hands and did it his way.

But am I not guilty of the same thing?

Obedience is a nine-letter word that, especially in my past, made me cringe. My motto was, ‘It’s my life, I’ll do what I want,’ or, ‘You can’t tell me what to do.’ I struggled with authority figures because I couldn’t stand the feeling of someone else thinking they could control me. I always wanted things to go my way.

I still struggle with control issues, but the Lord has definitely been changing my heart and mind. He is teaching me about surrender and trusting in Him. 

“In the Old Testament, the word ‘obey’ primarily signifies listening. It can also imply heeding, agreeing, consenting, understanding, and yielding. Obeying God means listening to His voice and trusting His guidance. Obedience to God is crucial for pleasing Him.” (Charles Stanley’s Life Principle number 2)

Another interpretation of the Biblical definition of obedience is, “hearing the word of God and acting upon it.”

It’s not always easy to obey those initial promptings of the Spirit, especially when they involve something I genuinely dislike! This internal struggle between the “flesh” and the “spirit” often arises.

Proverbs 3:5-6 advises, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (NIV)

What does it mean to trust in the Lord with all your heart? Do I harbor any lingering doubts that prevent me from fully trusting Him? After His resurrection, Jesus addressed Thomas, saying, “Stop doubting and believe.” (See John 20:27) I believe this is what Jesus is conveying to me as well. When I rely on my own understanding, I feel in control, wanting things to unfold as I desire. I meticulously plan every scenario, convinced of how things will transpire. However, I realize that my vision is clouded, and my perspective on things is skewed. My own understanding often leads me astray. 

To “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” means surrendering my need to control the situation or its outcome. It means letting go of the desire for things to happen on my timeline. Trusting that God is in control and working all things for my good, as stated in Romans 8:28. Isaiah 55:8-9 emphasizes that God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. As Moses reminded the Israelites in Exodus 14:14, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

I’m also reminded of Paul’s words in Galatians 5:16-17: “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.”

Notice the key point: “So that you are not to do whatever you want.” It’s not about me or getting my needs met; it’s about dying to self and doing what pleases God, which brings Him glory. That, for me, is what it means to “walk by the Spirit.”

Then there’s 1Thessalonians 5:19: “Do not quench the Spirit.” When we choose not to listen, are unsure if we’re truly hearing from Him, or simply prefer our own agenda, we are “quenching” the Spirit, like putting out a campfire or dousing a flame. Instead, we need to learn to trust one step at a time, one decision at a time, if we want to walk by the Spirit.

I’m not perfect and still make mistakes more times than I’d like to admit. However, I’m grateful for God’s mercies, which are new each morning. I get a blank sheet of paper to start my day, and I get to choose what I will write on it. Instead of taking matters into our own hands, let’s learn to write what we trusted and obeyed!

And when we slip up, let’s remember Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV): “Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” 

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