Unwrapping Christmas: The Gift of Obedience

Kids come in all shapes and sizes. Some find it easier to be obedience than others. Were you a kid that tended to do what was expected, or did you tend to be disobedient more often than not? Has that carried into adulthood. Do you tend to be obedient or do you tend to “fight the rules” most of the time? Do you find it easy to be obedient to God or more of a challenge? Has God ever called you to do something that was so far out of your comfort zone that you just didn’t feel like you could comply? What was that? Do you wish you had given it a try? Why or Why not? Have you ever been called by God to something way out of your comfort zone that you did comply with, something to which you were obedient? What did you find when you did what you felt God calling you to do? Did God give you what you needed for the task? Were you able to see that “with God, all things are possible?” Did you have a faith growth, a spiritual growth as a result of being obedient to God’s call? Other than Mary and Joseph, who is the character in Scripture you feel is most obedient to God? Why do you feel this way? Discuss this with another believer and see who they would say is most obedient and why. Take some time and give thought to various things God might ask you to do. What is the one thing that you would find most intimidating, uncomfortable, objectionable, out of your comfort zone of all the things you might be called to do. What is it that would make this task one that you wouldn’t want to do? Think about this…Jesus came not only to comfort the afflicted, but also to afflict the comfortable. Sometimes God takes us WAY outside our comfort zones in order to stretch us and to deepen us spiritually and to force us to fully rely on Him. Keep in mind also that He always equips us for the task to which He calls us. What is it that God is calling you to now? Are you fighting it? What’s it going to take for you to be obedient to God’s call?