The Cost of Half-Hearted Obedience

0:00 Hello, and welcome back to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast. I'm your host, Connie Morris, and we're diving into another powerful topic in our series, the games we play with God. And today's episode is titled, The Game of Half-Hearted Obedience. Have you ever followed God's instructions, kind of? Maybe you did part of what he asked, but stopped short of complete obedience. This episode will unpack why partial obedience isn't obedience at all and the consequences that come from it. When we look at the story of King Saul once again, focusing on his incomplete obedience to God's command in 1 Samuel 15.

0:47 If you ever struggle with following through entirely on what God has called you to do, Once again, this episode is for you. Let's look at Saul's half-hearted obedience. Let's begin in 1 Samuel 15, verses 2-3. God's command to Saul was clear. This is what the Lord Almighty says. I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. waylaid. Now go attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them.

1:29 Do not spare them. Put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys. Donkeys. Donkeys. But Saad didn't follow through completely. Instead, he spared King Agag and the best of the livestock, claiming it was for sacrifices. Samuel's response was sobering. Does the Lord delight in birth offering and sacrifice as much as obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice and to heed is better than fat rams. 1 Samuel 15, 22. People who disobey, you don't ever have those people in your life that they'll do something and they make it super spiritual.

2:17 And really, the super spiritual, the way they quote the scripture is wrong. They made it fit made it fit them and you're like you you done misquoted the scripture you done did it all wrong you done, And they go, why are you being so mean? I'm like, because you're misquoting the scripture. Did God really say that or did you make that up? So half-hearted obedience is disobedience. It shows a lack of trust in God's wisdom and desire to do things our way. Oh my gosh. Are there areas in your life where you're following God partially instead of fully? We discussed this in the last episode about Saul's ability to just kind of do things this way. And so we're back.

3:08 Why do we struggle with complete obedience? For many, it's about fear, pride, or convenience. We think we know better or we're afraid of the cost of complete obedience. John 14, 21 reads, Whoever has my command and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them. So how many want to see the Lord? I know we all do, right? And so when it reads like this in John 14, 21, it says, whoever has my commands and keep them is the one who loves me.

3:54 And so it begins to say, if you love me, you will follow my command. Not half of them, but all of them. The one who loves me will be led by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them. Obedience is a reflection of our love for God. Partial obedience reveals divided priorities. Dang, that hurts, right? Either you love me or you don't. But it says it's divided priorities. You're deciding, I want to do this for you or am I going to do this? What team am I on, right?

4:38 What's holding you back from fully obeying God? Like I mentioned in all the other episodes, what are the consequences for incomplete obedience? Let's find out. Number one, loss of God's favor. We heard that in the last episode. God rejected Saul as king because he didn't follow his instructions completely. It's like having a job. You get hired to do a particular task. First time, they probably warn you, this is not the task. This is not done properly. Second time, you might get written up. Third time, you're probably going to lose your job because you have to do the job that I hired you to do.

5:20 So you lose God's favor. And so he only had one job. It was to kill everybody. Saul didn't do it. And so God rejected him as king. Number two, misblessing. Saul's disobedience caused him to forfeit an opportunity to lead Israel for more significant victories. So he did lose his job. He was rejected as king by God. He lost his job as king. And the number three, the ripple effects. His choice to spare Agag had long-term consequences as the Amokites continued to trouble Israel. So problems continued because he did not complete the task.

6:03 Isaiah 1, 19-20 reads, If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land. But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. Complete obedience position us to receive God's blessings, while partial obedience delays His promises. Hmm... Complete obedience positions us to receive God's blessings, while partial obedience delays His promises. We all want to walk in full obedience.

6:43 So how do we stop playing games of half-hearted obedience and let's go? We learn how to listen carefully. I think that's not funny, but if we... Lord, did you say everybody? Spend time in prayer and scripture to understand precisely what God is asking of you. John 10, 27 says, my sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. So you, did you hear me or are you saying you didn't hear me? My sheep listen to my voice. So they said, I know them. They hear my voice. And so they know that I'm speaking to them. And so if you hear my voice, we as parents know that you heard my voice and you heard what I said.

7:29 And so you can't give me any excuses. Number two, surrender your will. Not my will, but your will. Your will be done. Luke 22, 42. That's what Jesus said in the garden. So let go of your own plans and trust God completely. Even when it's uncomfortable, surrender your will. Number three, follow through completely. Obedience isn't just about getting started. It's about finishing. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh, that's so good. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.

8:10 That's what Jesus said. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. How many of us are in the middle of projects that God has told us to continue? Wow, I told you I was working at this job, and it wasn't allowing me any podcast time. And so I'm like, how am I going to keep up on my podcast and the responsibility of this job? What was my main priority? This is what God told me to do. And so he didn't tell me to cancel it. He didn't tell me to turn it off. This was my responsibility.

8:52 And so many of us would have said, you know what, job is important. I'm going to do that. And so instead of me just not finishing up my podcast, I had a meeting with the Lord. Lord, what do I do? I need to do my podcast. I'm exhausted from this job. What would you have for me to do? And he just said do some rebroadcasting and we're gonna work this thing out right so long story short I resigned from that position and he whispered to me and I have a devotion he said I have a ram in the bush for you and I ended up resigning from that job and the day that I resigned I had an interview the the day before I resigned I had an interview the day After I resigned, I still got interviews calling.

9:44 People are still calling me for interviews when I accepted a job. You know, so that's how God works. When he tells you he wants something done, he has the blessings already lined up for you. He has that ram in the bush. You just have to be daring to just take a pause and just trust him. Amen. So it says, listen carefully, surrender your will and follow through. He did not tell me to stop podcasting. It would be so easy. That'd be one less thing to do. But he says, stop. He just said, no, I want you to rest. But I want you to take this job. I want you to rest. Because all the other jobs, they want you to work a little bit more overtime. You know, just a lot of stuff. You just have to ask.

10:26 More money, more money, more work hours. Trust and believe, right? What would you have for me to do, Lord? Saul could have confirmed. Do you want me to kill everybody? Are you sure? Okay, killing everybody. all right, that's what I'm going to do. So listen carefully and it's important. If you didn't hear it clearly, ask again. Surrender your will. Okay, I don't think we need to kill everybody, Lord, but if you say so, I'm going to do that. And complete what he asks you to do. Don't stop that assignment until he tells you to stop it. If he gave you that idea, that plan, And then he wants you to finish it. Amen. So don't finish. Don't you stop.

11:08 Whatever it is, it's all about finishing. That's why I thought this was interesting that he wanted me to go. We just talked about it last, you know, just the other day. And I said, this one too? And he was like, yeah, because have hearted obedience. A lot of people are not finishing the work that I have assigned for them. They have allowed worldly wisdom to take over, like deciding for themselves that I'm going to do this instead of that, instead of checking with me. Ouch. It says, if you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land.

11:48 But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. How many of us want to finish strong like Jesus did? He said, I have brought you the glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. How many of us want to finish the work? Whatever that work is, right? And so we can't use worldly wisdom on a spiritual job that God gave you to do. I know, I know. I was like, well, how am I going to get this podcast done working like this? And I had to make a choice. I had to choose spiritual wisdom over worldly wisdom or a worldly job that's sucking me dry and not allowing me to finish, what God has called me to do.

12:46 I know I'm just taking a pause because I just realized how important it is for me to finish the assignment. Decree to walk in complete obedience. Let's declare these truths together to commit to complete obedience. Not half-hearted obedience, ladies, gentlemen, if you're listening. God wants us to finish the work. What has he told you to do that you just stopped along the way? I know I'm clapping my hands because, let's repeat after me, I decree that I will trust in God's wisdom and follow his instructions fully. I decree that I will surrender my will to align with God's perfect plan.

13:32 I decree that I will finish every task God calls me to with faithfulness and integrity. I want to repeat this last one. I decree that I will finish every task God called me to with faithfulness and integrity. How do we stop playing this game of half-hearted obedience? We stop playing it when we start to listen carefully. I love it. I just repeated this, but it's just kind of, you know how when you say something, it sticks to you like glue? This is sticking to me like glue. I hope it's sticking to you like glue.

14:15 That you surrender your will and that you finish the course strongly. Okay, I think that's enough of that. So this week or sometime today or whenever, take time to reflect on areas where you might be practicing half-hearted obedience. Am I fully following God's instruction or am I holding back? Or even if you stopped, he told you something and then you stopped. Because it wasn't looking like it was going to be successful. It looked like it wasn't going to be successful. I started this podcast about in last July. Norris, I want you to start a podcast.

14:59 It's slow. I'm just getting up, doing my podcast thing. You know, slow is still, to me, it's slow. I made a thousand downloads. I'm like, yes. I made it early. I thought I wasn't going to get there until July, and I had my heart set for July. But God blessed me with an early thousand. I'm like, praise the Lord. So where is God telling you to stop? It felt like I almost had to quit doing my podcasting because of this job. So Satan has a way of making you choose him or God's plan. Work hard or God's plan. God's plan, it's like the struggle you have to do. So you have to get in God's presence and pray, what would you have me to do?

15:44 And if he didn't tell you to quit the plan he gave you, then he might have to tell you to get off that roller coaster bus with Satan trying to make the dollars. Let him be the provider. Amen. So go ahead and take time to reflect where you maybe have some things sitting on the pot and you haven't finished some things because you let other things get in the way. You know, like Saul trying to figure it out, worldly wisdom, trying to balance out everything without going to God. Go ahead and go to him and ask him to give you the steps so you can do what he already asked you to do. Amen.

16:27 And the other one, another challenge is choose one area that you've been holding back. So you know there's many areas he's telling you to do some things, but you kind of hit the brakes on it. But pick that one area and commit to taking a bold step of faith this week. Just say, I'm going to do this thing. I'm going to do this thing. I'm going to ask the Lord. I'm going to pray about it. How do I do it? And then I'm just going to do it. Okay? I'm speaking from area of faith because I had to make a decision. I said, do I quit this or do I do this? I knew in my heart I couldn't quit it, so something else had to go.

17:11 And so you might have to make some hard decisions. What do I need to give up to finish what God has called me to do? We talked about the gifts that we have in another episode, earlier episodes. What is that gift? That I have that God told me to use, and I'm just wasting it because I'm working 9 to 5, trying to make a living, right? Or maybe working 8 to 6, or maybe working too much. Maybe we're too tired. So let's just pray. Father God, Heavenly Father, thank you for your patience and your love.

17:55 Even when we fall short, Forgive us for the time that we obeyed you partially instead of fully. Teach us to trust your wisdom and to follow your instructions with faith and courage. Help us to surrender completely and walk in the fullness of your will. Let us finish what you have started in our lives, Lord God. Every task that you want us to finish, let us finish that faithfully and with integrity, Lord. We'll make time for you. We'll make time for your plans and your purposes. And we give you praise for that. In Jesus' name, amen.

18:36 I want to thank you for joining me on this episode. The games we play with God is getting deeper, deeper, deeper. If this is a message that challenge or encourage you, share it with a friend, subscribe, and don't miss the next episode where we'll be discussing game number 11. How many games there are? I don't know. I got a list of them. Ignoring God's timing. Until next time, stay faithful, stay committed, finish what you started, and be blessed. Amen.