Obedience to God’s instruction is a mark of true faith. In the New Testament, Jesus told Peter to cast his net into the deep, even after he had fished all night without success. Though it made no sense, Peter obeyed, and the catch was so great that his nets began to break (Luke 5:4-6). When Jesus told Mary Magdalene to go and tell the disciples that He had risen, she obeyed, despite the fear and confusion she might have felt. Her obedience led to the first announcement of Jesus’ resurrection, a message of hope for all believers (John 20:16-18). These moments teach us that obedience, even when difficult or unclear, always leads to God’s greater purpose. As New Testament believers, we are called to obey even when we don’t understand, trusting that His ways are higher than ours.

I remember when God instructed me to pray for a coworker who treated me horribly. Everything in me resisted, but I chose to obey. Over time, my heart softened, and I saw how God used that obedience to change both of us. However, when I was younger in the faith, I had plenty of excuses for why I couldn’t obey—fear, insecurity, inconvenience, and pride. Many of us still struggle with this today. We often say, “I don’t have time,” “I’m not qualified,” “What if they reject me?” “It’s too hard,” or “Someone else can do it.” But obedience isn’t about convenience—it’s about surrender. Jesus Himself is the perfect example of obedience, even to the point of death on the cross as Philippians 2:8 tells us. Full obedience to God is required, because partial obedience is not obedience at all. (“Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:8)