Obedience Is Better than Blessing

Scripture gives us a sobering reminder of what God truly desires from us. “So Samuel said: ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22, NKJV).

Obedience is better than sacrifice. I say it is also better than blessing. This is the deepest meaning in the story of Abram offering Isaac on the altar. God said, “Go and do this.” He obeyed. Did Abram leave that altar saying, “God changed his mind”? I don’t think so. God wanted obedience, and Abram obeyed.

I have experienced that. God told me to negotiate and then gave me every evidence that I should claim a certain thing. I did everything in my power to obtain it, but I didn’t get it! What now? Shall I question God? Should I doubt that he spoke to me? Will I believe that Satan hindered me? No. I sought the Lord diligently. He said, “Do this,” and I did it. I will rest in the peace of obedience. That makes it better than blessing. God shows you only one side of the coin: obedience.

The servant must obey without question. When a master commands his servant to go, he goes. That, too, is faith.

Can a man purpose in his heart to trust God when it appears that the Lord is breaking a promise? Can a man still speak the language of faith when all his leadings “blow up” in his face? The giants of faith did! They said, as Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him” (Job 13:15). Men of great faith faced the fieriest trials.

God has peculiar ways of developing faith. The deeper into God you go, the more peculiar your testing will be. Do not fall into the temptation of believing that afflictions are proof that you are displeasing the Lord. Miracles are produced only amidst impossibilities. If you desire to be a child of faith, ready yourself for a life of most peculiar tests. Faith comes by using what you have. Don’t wait for obstacles to be removed. Go forth anyhow! The most critical part of faith is “the last half hour.”