There can be nothing harder than doing what does not give you life. A hard marriage. A hard conversation. A hard job. Unmet commitments. Failing again. Waking up to another failed attempt at being a beter man.
Scripture gives us guidelines. Culture shouts messages. We are exhausted trying to keep up. We want to obey. We cannot seem to pull it off. Frustration.
And then we see Jesus (Heb 12:2). The perfect display of obedience to obligation. Strength in submission. Power to make alive when dead. He tells us His commands are not burdensome (1Jo 5:3). He invites the weary to find rest (Mat 11:28-30). He has given us His divine power (2Pe 1:3)
Obligation gives us boundaries. Boundaries give us structure. Structure gives us strength. But strength is only made perfect in weakness (2Co 12:9). It is in our inability to meet obligation that we see Jesus. We see our weakness. This is where we receive His strength, not our own.
Only in Christ will you become the man God has called you to be. Only in Christ can you fulfill His obligations. To be the husband, dad, friend, son He designed you to be.
You are a new man in Christ today. The blessing of obligation is seeing our weakness and turning to Jesus. Your sins are completely forgiven. You are alive in Christ. You are sitting with Him in heavenly places right now, in perfect union (Eph 2:4-6). He empowers you to meet every obligation. Believe this.
The Next Question.
What obligation seems impossible to endure?
What stops you from believing His grace is enough for you today?