I wish I could tell you obedience comes easily to me.
It doesn’t.
I’m a clarity-before-commitment kind of person. I like spreadsheets, plans, forecasts, and clearly labeled categories. I like knowing where something is going before I fully step into it. I’m the one who Googles the volleyball tournament location days in advance to check parking and map out the game plan before we even load the car.
I like clarity.
But lately, obedience has looked less like a spreadsheet and more like stepping forward before I see the staircase.
And if your stomach didn’t just do a little flip-flop at that thought… are you even human?
When I first started Mom Leaves A Legacy, it was a finance blog. That made sense. I understand money. I understand systems. I understand numbers.
But over time, the writing shifted.
It became less about budgets and more about identity.
Less about strategy and more about surrender.
Less about financial control and more about spiritual formation.
And if I’m honest? That shift has stretched me more than any spreadsheet ever has.
Delayed Obedience Is Still Disobedience
Sometimes obedience doesn’t look like rebellion.
Sometimes it looks like hesitation.
“I just need more clarity.”
“I just need confirmation.”
“I just need to know how this will turn out.”
But if God has already made the next step clear, what we call caution might actually be control.
I wanted clarity on where this blog was headed before I fully embraced the shift.
I wanted to label it before I lived it.
I wanted to understand the outcome before I surrendered to the process.
I am the epitome of a control freak.
Obedience in Scripture Was Rarely Comfortable
When you look at Scripture, obedience almost never came with full clarity.
Noah built an ark before rain had ever fallen.
Abraham left his homeland without a mapped-out destination.
Peter stepped out of the boat before the water felt solid beneath his feet.
God rarely gives the full staircase.
He gives the next step.
Proverbs 3:5–6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
That verse sounds beautiful, written in cursive on a wall. It feels different when your understanding is the very thing you rely on most.
Obedience often requires surrendering understanding before receiving explanation.
Why Obedience Feels Hard
I struggle with obedience because I struggle with control.
I fear the outcome.
I fear loss.
I fear misstepping publicly.
I fear building something that doesn’t “make sense” on paper.
Obedience often feels like stepping before you see the staircase.
And every time I picture that, my heart does a little flip. “You want me to do what?”
Here’s what obedience might cost:
- It might cost being misunderstood.
- It might cost the comfort of staying in a clearly defined lane.
- It might cost the identity you’ve built around being “the finance girl.”
- It might cost the illusion that you are the one steering the ship.
And for someone who thrives on structure and control, that last one stings the most.
Trust Is a Daily Decision
Trusting God is not a one-time decision. It’s daily.
I’ve been following Jesus for years, and I still wrestle with trust almost every day. Not because He’s unfaithful — but because I like control.
Obedience is not about blind risk. It’s about rooted trust.
Roots grow deep before branches stretch wide.
If God expanded our reach before strengthening our roots, we would crumble under the weight of it.
Endurance produces character. Character produces hope.
Not platform.
Not applause.
Not clarity.
Character.
Maybe obedience feels hard because God is less concerned with where He’s taking you and more concerned with who you are becoming.
And becoming requires surrender.
What Obedience Might Look Like Right Now
For some of us, obedience isn’t dramatic.
It’s not moving across the country.
It’s not quitting your job tomorrow.
Sometimes it’s:
- Having the hard conversation.
- Releasing control over an outcome.
- Continuing to build something even when the direction feels undefined.
- Resting when you’d rather hustle.
- Saying yes without having every answer.
Sometimes obedience is simply taking the next faithful step — even if you can’t see beyond it.
Legacy isn’t built by strong moms. It’s built by rooted ones.
And rooted moms obey — even when it’s uncomfortable.
Closing Prayer
Lord, if I’m honest, I want clarity before commitment. I want the blueprint before I build. But You are asking for trust. Teach me to obey before I understand. Deepen my roots before You expand my reach. Help me release control and follow where You lead. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Free 5-Day Legacy Builder Challenge
Want a simple starting point? Download the free 5-Day Legacy Builder Challenge (PDF) to get clarity and take practical next steps with your finances, values, and family traditions.
Want support and accountability as you build your legacy? Join us inside the group.
Looking For More Encouragement?
Browse the Mom Leaves A Legacy Library to explore posts by topic and find the encouragement you need for this season.
Continue Reading
If this post encouraged you, you may enjoy these related posts: