o.BE.DIE.nce

Obedience seems to be the theme on the blog this week, and I’ve learned from experience, when a word resonates, there’s a reason, especially when words within the word resonate, too. So, without further ado, let me break it down for you. That’s what the Lord did for me, and in order to live it out, it’s so important to understand what it’s all about!

o.BE.DIE.nce.

That word smack dab in the middle of the word — DIE. Die to self so I can live for Him. And then the word that comes just before it — BE. Be with God first, so I can serve Him best.

I’m a doer by nature. The word “obedience” has always appealed to my “doer heart.” God says, “Do this,” I obey. Plain and simple. But, well, it’s not that plain and simple. If I make obedience about a formulaic task, before long, I forget the heart of obedience, and make it more about my work and less about His will. I replace obedience with busyness.

And then before I know it, busyness has stolen the spotlight from obedience. Yep, we all battle busyness (to some degree). It invades every life stage and is no respecter of age. It even creeps in to the slower pace forced by a global pandemic. Busyness isn’t limited to our schedules outside the home, it can creep in to our to do’s lists at home, too!

Busyness manifests itself in the way we relate, respond, and react to others. It affects the way we cope and robs us of our hope. It even masks itself as honorable responsibility, and we wear it like some Medal of Honor around our neck hoping others see significance, when in reality, we are choking trying to make a difference.

We can organize it, categorize it, colorcode it, and try to unload it, but it attacks, fights back, and cuts us no slack. Why does it keep winning? We get a handle on it, scale back a bit, and then boom, it hits us again, this time harder and stronger. How do we battle back?

As I wrestle with it myself, I can’t offer you a tried and true 5-step plan to get rid of it or a foolproof “how to” program to manage it, but I can offer these 4 “r” words as a little piece of advice that always invite peace into my busy life. All four of them reminders of true o.BE.DIE.nce...

Rest. Remain. Release. Repeat.

Rest in Him. Matthew 11:28. Sabbath. Create space for rest in the middle of the stress. Go for a walk. Take a nap. Read a book. But be intentional.

Remain in Him. John 15:5. It is the only way to be rooted and fruited. Our roots go deeper and the fruit we produce is sweeter the longer we linger in His presence.

Release it all to Him. Luke 17:33. Surrender. Let go. We must loosen the grip on all the things that make us busy. Realize He owns it all, we might as well let Him manage it as well.

Repeat. Psalm 119:5. Daily. Hourly. He is always available. His busyness will never hinder Him from helping us get a handle on ours. He loves us. He is for us. He will sustains us.

So, struggle, yes, but don’t give up. The struggle is real, but God is more real, more present, more powerful than the struggle. He helps us struggle well so we can learn so much in the process.

o.BE.DIE.nce. — BE with Him and DIE to self, so we can DO for Him and LIVE it out!