Elevate Your Day with Andi and Brian Hale

The Purpose of Obedience (The Outcome of Obedience)

Aligning with God’s Will
Genesis 22:10-12 ESVThen Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
The purpose of obedience is to align our lives with God’s divine will and purpose. Abraham’s obedience on Mount Moriah demonstrated his reverence and respect for God. His willingness to sacrifice Isaac showed that he trusted God’s plan completely, even when he couldn’t see the outcome. This act of faith was not just about following a command, but about aligning his will with God’s greater purpose.
Staying Focused on God’s Mission
Proverbs 4:20-27 ESVMy son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.  Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
Proverbs 4:25-26 encourages us to keep our eyes fixed on God’s path and avoid distractions. Obedience helps us stay focused on God’s mission for our lives, ensuring that we do not deviate from His divine course. When Abraham lifted his hand to sacrifice Isaac, he was fully committed to God’s will, trusting that God would provide. This moment of obedience, even in the face of immense personal sacrifice, revealed Abraham’s unwavering faith in, focus on, and devotion to God.
The Outcome of Obedience
In our lives, obedience serves a similar purpose. It helps keep us focused on His plans and prevents us from being swayed by distractions. Let’s remember:
Abraham’s story reveals that obedience is a daily commitment to trust in God’s guidance and provision, even when the path is unclear.
Just as God provided a ram in place of Isaac, He will provide for us when we commit to following His will.
Our obedience is a testament to our faith and trust in God, and it opens the door for His blessings and guidance in our lives.
By aligning our lives with God’s will, we stay on His path and fulfill His purposes for us.
Pray this Prayer:
Lord, help me to stay focused on Your path and avoid the fiery darts of the enemy and other distractions intended to prevent us from standing confidently on Your living word. Teach me to trust in your provision and obey your commands, even when the way is unclear. Strengthen my faith and help me to live a life that honors You. Amen.
Your Practical Action Step:
Reflect on areas where you may be distracted or deviating from God’s path. Identify one specific distraction and make a plan to remove it from your life. Commit to spending time in prayer and scripture daily, asking God to help you stay focused on His will and purpose for your life.

The Cost and Reward (The Outcome of Obedience)

Aligning with God’s Will
Genesis 22:10-12 ESVThen Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
The purpose of obedience is to align our lives with God’s divine will and purpose. Abraham’s obedience on Mount Moriah demonstrated his reverence and respect for God. His willingness to sacrifice Isaac showed that he trusted God’s plan completely, even when he couldn’t see the outcome. This act of faith was not just about following a command, but about aligning his will with God’s greater purpose.
Staying Focused on God’s Mission
Proverbs 4:20-27 ESVMy son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.  Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
Proverbs 4:25-26 encourages us to keep our eyes fixed on God’s path and avoid distractions. Obedience helps us stay focused on God’s mission for our lives, ensuring that we do not deviate from His divine course. When Abraham lifted his hand to sacrifice Isaac, he was fully committed to God’s will, trusting that God would provide. This moment of obedience, even in the face of immense personal sacrifice, revealed Abraham’s unwavering faith in, focus on, and devotion to God.
The Outcome of Obedience
In our lives, obedience serves a similar purpose. It helps keep us focused on His plans and prevents us from being swayed by distractions. Let’s remember:
Abraham’s story reveals that obedience is a daily commitment to trust in God’s guidance and provision, even when the path is unclear.
Just as God provided a ram in place of Isaac, He will provide for us when we commit to following His will.
Our obedience is a testament to our faith and trust in God, and it opens the door for His blessings and guidance in our lives.
By aligning our lives with God’s will, we stay on His path and fulfill His purposes for us.
 
Reflect on areas where you may be distracted or deviating from God’s path. Identify one specific distraction and make a plan to remove it from your life. Commit to spending time in prayer and scripture daily, asking God to help you stay focused on His will and purpose for your life.
 
Lord, help me to stay focused on Your path and avoid the fiery darts of the enemy and other distractions intended to prevent us from standing confidently on Your living word. Teach me to trust in your provision and obey your commands, even when the way is unclear. Strengthen my faith and help me to live a life that honors You. Amen.
 

Understanding Obedience (The Outcome of Obedience)

Obedience Defined
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. – John 14:15
Obedience to God is foundational in the life of a believer, rooted in a deep understanding of His authority and willingness to listen to His voice. The Bible repeatedly calls us to obey, or hear, listen, and trust, God’s commands as an expression of our faith in Him. This definition reveals that obedience begins with a relationship—a relationship built on listening to God’s voice, trusting His word, and obeying His instructions. In John 10:27, Jesus says,
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
This verse draws our attention to the essence of biblical obedience: being sensitive to Jesus’ voice and following Jesus’ blueprint for becoming like Him.
Genesis 22:1-19 ESVAfter these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.
But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.
So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.
Abraham’s Journey Toward Obedience
Abraham’s story in Genesis 22 exemplifies this kind of obedience. Abraham’s response to God’s command to sacrifice Isaac illustrates true obedience. While you and I likely would have side-eyed God for instructing us to sacrifice the son we prayed and waited for more than two decades (as some scholars reported), Abraham’s willingness to act without hesitation shows that obedience is not just about following orders but about surrendering our will to God and aligning ourselves with His. It is about trusting His wisdom even when we do not understand His ways. This kind of obedience requires a heart that is fully devoted to God, ready to act in faith regardless of the cost. By meditating on Abraham’s example, we learn that obedience is not just an action but a reflection of our relationship with God, marked by trust, love, and reverence for His divine will.
Develop the Characteristics of Obedience
Obedience is not merely about following rules, but about a heartfelt commitment to God’s will. Biblical obedience involves:
Submitting to His authority
Living by faith
Having confidence in His plans
Hearing and responding to God’s word
Following biblical teachings
Obedience means putting our faith into action. Abraham’s story teaches us that true obedience stems from a place of deep surrender and unwavering trust (faith) in God’s promises, even when we do not see the full picture (yet).
Deuteronomy 11:1 ESVYou shall therefore love the Lord your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always.
Pray this Prayer:
Lord, help me to trust and obey your voice. Slow me down and teach me to listen to your word so that my first response is with faith and submission. Strengthen my desire and willpower to follow your teachings and live by faith, just as Abraham did. You are mighty to save. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Your Practical Action Step:
Today, take a moment to reflect on an area of your life where God is inviting you to trust and obey Him. Write down any fears, resistance, or doubts, and surrender them to God in prayer. Commit to taking one step of obedience, no matter how small, and trust that God will guide you through it.

Keep Going and Hold on to Hope (Overcoming Hurt)

Addressing wounds is vital because of what Dr. James Reeves calls the emotional/spiritual principle. It states, “You can never be more spiritually mature than you are emotionally mature.” Why? Well, when we’ve been hurt we often develop bitterness; we isolate; we believe lies about ourselves, God, and others; we inhibit God’s work in our lives; we sin. When we sin, our intimacy with God and others is stifled.
Matthew 22:36-40 ESV“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
In Scripture, the measure of our maturity and love for God is directly linked to our ability to love others. The degree to which we love others is directly correlated with our ability to love ourselves, and our ability to love ourselves is directly correlated to our ability to love God and understand who He truly is.
By identifying and working through our emotional wounds with loving and accepting people, we begin to see God for who He truly is, a loving and personal Father. As that happens, we begin to see ourselves as God sees us, as someone who is loved, valuable, and adequate. These beliefs take root experientially, in our hearts, growing us closer to God and others. This is true discipleship.
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 ESVBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
But discipleship is not meant just for your own benefit. Jesus wants us to bless others! Try to get a vision of what God might do in your life through this. We witness the power of vision in Jesus’ life in Hebrews 12:2, who “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.” That joy was receiving “all authority on heaven and earth” (Matthew 28:18) and giving you and I the “right to become children of God” (John 1:12). Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33), is ruling and reigning over all that is going on in this time (Psalm 47:8), and will one day make all things right and new (Revelation 21). What hope we have in Him!
Think back on challenges you’ve faced in the past and how God got you through them. You’re still here. You’re reading this. You made it through! Think of how you might be able to help others in the future because you’re gaining victory over your own struggles. Keep going. Hold on to hope.
Romans 5:1-5 ESVTherefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
God, thank You for the healing You have for me. Help me to walk forward with hope, vision, and purpose.
Romans 8:28 ESVAnd we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Connect with God and Others (Overcoming Hurt)

A crucial step in seeking healing from emotional pain, whether from big W or little w wounds and lies from the Enemy, is seeking connection. No matter what you faced in the past or are facing now, you are not alone. You were not meant to be alone. You were made to thrive, created in the likeness of God with infinite worth, designed for healthy connection with Him and others. You were designed to experience the assurance of safety, to know that everything will be okay.
Psalm 147:3 ESVHe heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
We need Jesus’ divine power to restore us. He knows exactly what we need. Talk to Jesus about what you experienced. Ask Him for His comfort. Ask Him for His healing. He cares so much about you. Healing is a process. It takes time, but I want you to know that Jesus can heal you from hurt. He’s done it in my life, and I am convinced He can do it in yours, as well.
We are hurt in relationships, and we heal in relationships. Wounds are caused by things people have said and done to us, or by not receiving the things we needed from people. For example, sometimes wounds are caused because people did not encourage or accept us. We need new experiences with people who will accept us, love us, affirm us, be there for us, show up for us, and demonstrate the love that God has for us in Christ.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 ESVTwo are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
Let me encourage you to share the losses and pain you are experiencing with safe people. Interacting with others releases dopamine and oxytocin in our brains, leading to a sense of connection and satisfaction. It also affirms the reality that we are not alone, that we are understood. Text or FaceTime a friend or loved one. Go for a walk with someone you know. Schedule a meeting with a therapist, coach, or mentor. Ask professionals for advice on how to find safe people. Ask God to send the right people and resources your way.
Proverbs 27:17 ESVIron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Remember, we need one another. We are part of the body of Christ, and are meant to help one another (1 Corinthians 12:25–27). Hebrews 10:25 instructs us to “not neglect meeting together,” because of how important relational and spiritual connection is for each of us.
God, You made us for relationship with You, ourselves, and others. Help me to connect with safe people.

Identify and Reframe Mistaken Messages (Overcoming Hurt)

The Bible tells us that we do not battle against human flesh but against Satan and the fiery arrows that He uses to attack us. These fiery arrows often come in the form of lies that have been rooted in our souls through pain and wounds developed from our life experiences.
 
Maybe you’ve experienced loneliness or have felt rejected. What message have you believed? It could be “People don’t care about me,” “I’m unwanted,” or “I must not matter.” Maybe you’re experiencing financial hardship. What message are you telling yourself? Perhaps, “God doesn’t care about me,” “I’m not good or gifted enough,” or “No matter how hard I try, I just can’t provide for my family. I’m inadequate.”
 
Such messages are often not true. Lies have been the Enemy’s tactic since day one in the Garden of Eden. He works to twist the truth, deceive us, and get us to believe lies about God, ourselves, and others.
 
In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve fell for a lie from the Enemy and disobeyed God’s command not to eat fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They ate the fruit and were immediately filled with shame, believing not just that they had done wrong but that they were wrong.
 
Proverbs 30:5 ESVEvery word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
 
The Enemy wants to use whatever he can to get us to believe lies, often using our losses and painful experiences. But what is the truth about your current situation? In loneliness, remind yourself that Jesus said, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Remind yourself that in Christ you are a beloved child of God (1 John 3:1), chosen and wanted (John 15:16), and God’s masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10). In financial hardship, remind yourself that God will provide for you (Matthew 6:26).
 
Look over that list of losses you made from Day Two. What messages have you been believing that you know are lies from hell? What truths from God’s Word give you assurance and hope to counter those lies?
 
Ephesians 6:10-17 ESVFinally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
 
Sit with God and experience His truth intellectually and emotionally. Memorize the verses you need so you can come back to these truths and experience them when sadness, shame, or lies surface again. Experience what it feels like to be loved, accepted, and adequate.
 
John 17:17 ESVSanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
 
God, lead me to the truth. Your Word is truth.
 
Colossians 3:16 ESVLet the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
 

Grieve Your Losses (Overcoming Hurt)

The ways we sin and cope are ultimately about medicating our emotional wounds in life. Yes, we sin because we are born sinful, but we also sin because we are sinned against. We develop ways to cope with the pain others’ sin has caused us.
 
So, how do we process our losses, pain, and hurt? How do we survive without caving into our anxiety, hopelessness, and despair? Rather than coping by binging Netflix, scrolling through social media, overeating, drinking too much, or viewing pornography, how do we choose health, find a way to move forward, and thrive?
 
It begins by letting ourselves grieve. We need to feel to heal. Your emotions are real and valid. Let yourself feel them. The pain you felt in the past or are experiencing now is real. Be honest with yourself about your fears, feelings, questions, hurts, and struggles. It’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to grieve and mourn. It isn’t easy, but it is necessary. Don’t run from your pain. Don’t stuff it. You can’t go around it; you must go through it, and only then can you start to get better.
John 11:33-36 ESVWhen Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
It’s okay to not have it all together and to mourn. In fact, it is healthy to do so. I’m reminded of how Jesus wept in John 11 when His friend Lazarus died. If He, God, took time to feel and grieve, how important is it for us?
I encourage you to write down the losses you have experienced. Let yourself feel those emotions. Sit with them and talk to God about them. Be honest with Him about your hurt, frustrations, and questions. Visualize Him being with you and comforting you.
God, I need to be honest with myself and with You about the ways I am coping with pain. Help me to cleanse my wounds instead of letting them fester. Help me to choose healing.

Big and Little Wounds (Overcoming Hurt)

Are you hurt? Have you been through something painful? Maybe it happened this year. You lost a job, experienced heartbreak, were repeatedly criticized by someone, or lost a loved one. Or maybe you were hurt by things that happened in the past: abuse, unmet needs, or rejection from family or friends.
Psalm 119:28 ESVMy soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!
Many things in this world can hurt us. Pain, suffering, loss and grief happen to all of us. I know, personally, how unbearable these things can feel. At school, I was bullied for my weight, for my faith, and for the music I listened to. At home, I could not measure up to my dad’s expectations and constantly faced his anger. I shut down. I started to hate myself. I thought I didn’t fit in anywhere.
Whether it’s from our loved ones, difficult circumstances, sexism, racism, or injustice, we all have wounds. Everyone is created uniquely and responds to painful events differently. Something that deeply hurts one person may hardly affect another at all.
Wounds tend to come in the form of two extremes. The first are “big W” wounds. These are caused by infrequent painful experiences of high intensity, such as sexual or physical abuse, the loss of a parent, a life-threatening situation, or divorce.
The second are “little w” wounds. These are caused by frequent painful experiences of low intensity. This type is more common; all of us have experienced these types of wounds. Maybe someone repeatedly said you’d never measure up in life or communicated that you had to perform to get approval. Maybe you were constantly bullied, controlled, or manipulated. Or maybe a parent was frequently physically or emotionally absent. Such experiences can cause little w wounds. They can affect us just as much as big W wounds.
Psalm 109:21-22 ESVBut you, O God my Lord, deal on my behalf for your name’s sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me! For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within me.
Identifying and addressing our emotional wounds is a crucial part of discipleship and becoming more like Christ. If we ignore our wounds, this will severely limit our ability to connect with God and others. God wants us to grow and mature in Him; He does not want us to stay emotionally stuck, stagnant, or stunted for the rest of our lives.
God, I recognize my wounds are limiting my ability to connect with You and others. Bring healing to my life and help me to grow more like Christ.