Godly Gals ~ Sharon Gozjolko
Obedient
By: Sharon Gozjolko
I thought that I’d been obedient.
Last week, the debilitating pain that I had endured for 10 years, which had miraculously disappeared 2 years ago, came back with a vengeance. I’d been prayed over several times with no relief. Is God punishing me?
I lay on the couch and turned on some worship music. I wept and complained to Him, then shut up and tried to listen for His still, small voice.
Have I really been obedient?
Over the first week of the year, my church held a corporate prayer and fasting time, during which God revealed to me how I have not been taking care of myself. He told me to cut down my caffeine, eat better and to start getting some exercise.
- I cut down my caffeine to 3 cups a day (believe me that’s a significant decrease).
- I’m eating 3 meals a day with no snacks (rather than snacking all day and/or eating only 2 meals).
- But I haven’t been exercising. I went as far as to watch the exercise video I bought about 5 years ago, but I haven’t exercised once.
God reminded me as I prayed on the couch that I haven’t been completely obedient. He told me almost 2 months ago to start exercising and I didn’t do it. Not obeying completely is not obeying. I’ve grounded my children for not obeying me and I believe God has grounded me – not as a punishment, but to get my attention.
I was nearly in tears, when I began the workout video, from fear that doing this would hurt my back more. I told God how scared I was of hurting myself and begged Him to protect my body as I attempted exercising.
Well, I did the whole video and I can still walk. I believe God took care and will take care of my back. But I must be obedient.
You don’t often think of obedience to God going beyond obeying His will for your job or your children or your spouse or your finances or your gifts. Those are the areas of your life where you know that you need to be obedient to God, but they’re not the only areas.
God wants us to be healthy. He could make us healthy while we sit around on our rumps. God can do anything. Will He make us healthy that way? No!
God’s work in our lives always requires effort on our part – mainly, the willingness to be obedient to Him in whatever it is He wants of us. And He gives us the means and abilities to do it. I was doing exercises I normally couldn’t do with my back hurting the way it has been. I believe that God gave me the means and ability to do this workout video.
I pledge to continue to exercise because I am willing to be obedient to my wonderful God.
How about you? Are you willing to be obedient in all areas of your life?
Sharon Gozjolko is married and a stay at home mother and step-mother to four teenage boys (3 of them are autistic) and a 4-year-old girl. Her ministries include singing as part of the worship lead at her church and writing a daily blog www.thegozette.wordpress.com.
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Sharon, as much as I hate to hear about your pain, I love that even in the midst of your pain you could stop and see Jesus right there with you. I once heard delayed obedience is disobedience…really puts it into perspective, doesn’t it?
Thank you so much for your great reminder about being completely obedient and for being this week’s Godly Gal!
Right now I’m looking for writers (Godly Gals) for June/July 2011. If you’re interested in finding out more about the Godly Gals series, then send me an email to melsworldministry {at} gmail {dot} com.
I’d love to send you the submission guidelines and answer any questions you might have.
I look forward to hearing from you!
