Obedience is hard. I struggle with that a lot in my relationship with the Lord. I make worldly excuses worrying about how others will view me. But God has really been drilling it into my head that only his view of me matters. The same goes for anyone reading this. He is going to call you to do things the world may think are crazy, but he tells us in scripture that following Christ's example isn't always going to look "normal".
“For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”
2 Corinthians 5:13-15 ESV
The love of Christ controls us. The NIV translation says "compels us". His love evokes reaction from us in an irresistible way. I know there are moments when I feel the Lord asking me to do something because my heart beats incredibly fast. I can't shake the feeling. So when the Lord calls you to move out of your comfort zone, don't try and shake the feeling. He has reasoning for everything.
The other night at house church I was sitting during worship and I felt the Lord saying go outside. Initially I was like, "Why? It's cold." But he kept pressing on my heart so I was like okay maybe I'm supposed to pray for someone out there. So I walked out and I was the only one outside. So I sat there and prayed. Then the Lord said, "Okay, go back inside." And I was like, "Cool, okay back into the warmth." And I sat back down on the couch and I thought, "Huh that was weird...what if he asks me to do it again." And guess what? He most definitely did. To be honest I was like I'm going to look crazy pacing in and out of the house stumbling over people deep in worship. I was thinking about how others may see me and not how the Lord wanted to use me. And God just reminded me that if I can't obey his simple request to walk in and out of the house, how will I be able to obey the bigger things he places on my heart. He is teaching me to become more obedient with baby steps. But I do not need to fear because..."no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God." 2 Corinthians 1:20
