The Price Of Obedience . . .
If you obey God, it is going to cost others more than it costs you, and that is where the pain begins. If you are in love with the Lord, obedience does not cost you anything, it is a pleasure. However, to those who don't love Him, their obedience costs a great deal. If we obey God, it will mean that others plans are upset. They will ridicule you as if to say, "You call this Christianity?" You could prevent this suffering but not if you are obedient to God. You must allow the cost to be paid.
When your obedience begins to cost others, your human pride entrenches itself and you say, "I will never accept anything from anyone." But you must, or disobey God. You have no right to think that the type of relationships you have with others should be any different from those of the Lord (Luke 8:1-3).
A lack of progress in ones spiritual life results when you attempt to bear all the costs yourselves. And in reality, you cannot. Because you are so involved in the universal purposes of God, others are immediately affected by our obedience to Him. Will you remain faithful in your obedience to God and be willing to suffer the humiliation of refusing to be independent?
You can disobey God if we choose, and it will bring immediate relief to the situation, but it will grieve our Lord. If, however, we obey God, He will care for those who have suffered the consequences of your obedience. Beware of the inclination to dictate to God what consequences you would allow as a condition of your obedience to Him.
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