When our kids were little, Renee and I tried to be intentional about planning fun occasions and events that would bless our family. “ When the time came, we announced, "Hey kids, we’re going to go do something fun!”
Most of the time, smiles followed. But almost without fail, there was one who wasn’t thrilled. Arms crossed. Energy low. The attitude said it all: I’ll go… but I don’t want to. They went anyway—but they went grudgingly.
Looking back, what stands out isn’t just the reluctance. It’s how often those same outings turned out to be wonderful. Laughter replaced resistance. Joy followed obedience. And later, there was embarrassment over how stubborn they had been about something that ended up being so good and so much fun.
That same pattern doesn’t just disappear when we give our lives to Christ. When we surrender to Jesus, we also surrender to a lifetime of being led into growth, maturity, blessing, correction, healing, service, and sometimes discomfort. God has places He wants to take us. Most of them are designed to help us grow spiritually. Many of them also mature and bless us deeply in the process. Yet sometimes, we go grudgingly.
The kids loved our church, but occasionally Renee would hear, "Can we just sleep in this morning. I'm tired!"
Or when I'd tell them I was taking them to a park after dinner so they could burn off some energy and Renee could get a break from spending the day with them while I worked. "Dad, we went to the park twice last week to play!" "I know, but I'm taking you to a new park tonight! You'll love it!" It started grudgingly and ended up as great fun!
I'm sure you remember your own scenarios of grudgingly spending time with your kids. Do you remember the times you had that attitude only to feel embarrassed by it later?
God may be nudging us to work on our marriage, forgive someone, change an attitude, step out of isolation, serve others, or spend more intentional time with Him. There are countless scenarios! Oftentimes, God, through His Word or a pastor’s voice, is calling us toward something that would genuinely move our lives forward. But our flesh pushes back.
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NLT) says, “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or under pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
While this verse speaks directly about giving, the principle reaches far beyond money. God is not interested in reluctant obedience. He isn’t looking for sons and daughters who drag their feet in response to His leading. He desires hearts that trust Him—even when the destination is unfamiliar.
So why does this matter so much? It matters because God intends to take you on many journeys you haven’t traveled before. Some will be fascinating. Some will be joyful. Some will be hard work. Some will stretch you in ways you didn’t expect. But all of them are designed to lead you into the life He planned for you and to shape your heart and mind—things He planned for you long before you knew Him.
The enemy understands this all too well. The devil would love to interfere with that process. He wants to exhaust you, isolate you, distract you, and convince you to hibernate spiritually. He fills our lives with endless scrolling, meaningless noise, and shallow substitutes for real growth. His goal is simple: make everything that is good and from God feel burdensome—so obedience becomes grudging instead of joyful.
Proverbs 3:5–6 (NLT) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”
If we’re honest, most of us can point to moments when we obeyed God reluctantly—and later realized how wrong we were to resist. The conversation that changed us. The service we almost skipped. The discipline we didn’t want. The step of faith we delayed. We went grudgingly… and came back grateful.
God is patient, but He is also purposeful. One of the qualities He wants to change in us is that inner resistance—the habit of dragging our heels when He calls. As we mature, grudging obedience should show up less and less, replaced by trust, anticipation, and willingness. Because when God leads, He never wastes the journey.
Psalm 32:8 (NLT) “The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.’”
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