Obey God: The Challenge of Balancing Faith and Life

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I want to obey God!

But it seems that no matter how hard I try, life still gets in the way and I fail to live my faith the way I want.

Today’s example:

During my morning prayer time, I asked the Lord to help me become more intentional about praying without ceasing.

I want to be quick to thank and praise Him for every blessing and slow to worry by offering Him every anxious thought and concern. But then I started working in my office, and I hadn’t been in there an hour when I realized I had already failed.

I received an email from a friend asking for prayer, and I quickly responded that I would, but I got distracted. Although I thought about her, I kept working and didn’t stop to intentionally take her need to the Lord in prayer.

Then I received a reply saying, “Thank you. I know your prayers are making a difference.”

Oooh! I felt terrible and immediately paused to repent, pray, and ask for God’s help yet again.

Now, as I sit here typing, there’s a nasty storm overhead, and once again it hit me that I’m sitting here fretful and anxious, but I haven’t prayed.

That’s just today, and it’s early in the afternoon!

I want to trust and obey. I don’t want to be judgmental or selfish, impatient or ungrateful, but I know there are times when I’m guilty of any or all of the above.

Why am I sharing this with you? Because it’s the challenge of balancing faith and life that Paul addressed in Romans 7…

So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 

Romans 7:14–15, 18–19

Although God’s Law is helpful, showing us what we should and shouldn’t do, just knowing what to do doesn’t mean we will do it! No matter how hard we try or how determined we become, we will continue to do the things we shouldn’t and fail to do the things we should.

I believe that’s why we call it “Growing in Faith.” We need God’s help. We need His Word, prayer, and circumstances to mold us and make us more like Jesus.

The Life Application Bible Notes share this encouragement…

“Being born again takes a moment of faith, but becoming like Christ is a lifelong process.”

So, I will continue to pray, repent, and ask for God’s help. I hold His promises in my heart, knowing I need to fight the enemy’s temptations with the Sword of the Spirit, His Word.

The blessing is we have God’s Good News. Although you and I can’t and won’t consistently, the power of the Holy Spirit can and will work in us and through us. He helps us KNOW, LOVE, TRUST, and bear fruit for the One who gave everything to give us life!

Let’s pray…

A Prayer to Balance Faith and Life to Obey God

Father God, I want to obey You faithfully, but like Paul, I fail. I would love to get to the end of the day confident that I have followed Your Commandments, acted quickly on Your direction, and turned away from my own pride and selfishness. But that doesn’t happen.

Even if my words and actions are honorable, my thoughts still fail me. Like Paul, I end up saying, “I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.”  So, once again, I come before You asking for Your forgiveness.

And by Your grace, You tell me I am forgiven. Thank You for the gift of Jesus. Thank you for His willingness to suffer my punishment. Thank you for being in my life and making it possible for me to KNOW, LOVE, and TRUST Him, and You through Him. Thank you for allowing me to bring everything to You in prayer.

Please continue to work in me, molding me and making me more like Jesus. Fill my heart with Your Word and help me stand against temptation. I want to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Your will.

Please give me all I need to balance faith and life in ways that obey You. I give myself to You. And with the help of Your Spirit, I will SEEK, PRAY, and PRAISE You with all my heart. Amen.

The truth is, we won’t obey God if we don’t know what He wants. That’s why it’s important to SEEK Him and His Kingdom.

I love the following quotes from A. W. Tozer…

“Faith is not a conclusion you reach…it’s a journey you live.”

“I don’t want the world to define God for me. I want the Holy Spirit to reveal God to me.”

“May God grant us a desire for God that supersedes all other desires.”

“As long as Christ sits on the throne, every day is a good day and all days are days of salvation.”

Amen!

May we celebrate God’s love today. And set our hearts and minds on SEEKing Him, asking Him to give us everything we need to obey. Then, and only then, will we live well the challenge of balancing faith and life.

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