When You Refuse to Listen to God
When you refuse to listen to God, the weight of disobedience lingers. This story shows the importance of hearing His voice, overcoming obstacles, and walking in faith and obedience.
I was volunteering in New York City with a group I had worked with for years. It was one of my favorite weeks of the year, helping busloads of kids enter the ministry center to hear the gospel. I had taken a team of about twenty volunteers with me, and we were buzzing with anticipation.
Balloons were on the stage, killer prizes were stacked in the corner, and hundreds of kids were lining the bleachers. It was going to be a good day. Excited about the cute preschoolers sitting in front of me, I initially tried to dismiss the voice that I heard in my heart.
When You Ignore God
Go sit by her.
I knew exactly who He was talking about. An older girl, probably around twelve or so, had just walked past me. I had to hold my breath as she walked by because she smelled so bad. I averted my eyes, uncomfortable in the situation, and did my best to ignore her. Even though I wouldn’t have admitted it out loud, a part of me was relieved when she kept walking instead of taking the empty seat near me.
Go sit by her.
The excuses kept coming.
It was my brain playing tricks on me.
As a mama, I was just feeling bad for her.
Someone else was going to sit by her any second.
Someone needed to help keep an eye on these preschoolers.
Go sit by her.
It was at this point that I made the conscious decision to disobey God. I did not go sit by her. Instead, I did my best to pay attention to the event and engage the preschoolers sitting near me. I tried to trick myself into thinking I was faithfully serving where I was instead of obeying God by not going where He had called me.
What Happens When We Say No to God
As much as I tried to ignore that girl and that entire scenario, to this day I cannot get her out of my head. Why didn’t I go sit by her? If you had asked me, I would have said that I went to New York City to serve however the Lord wanted me to. I would have said that God loves all kids, even the ones who smell bad, and I did too. I was a children’s pastor at the time, and I was no stranger to kids who came from hard places. But I didn’t go sit by her.
In many ways, I regret that decision. But at the same time, I don’t because of the way it still weighs on my heart all these years later. I still think about that girl. I still pray for her. I still remember exactly what she looked like, what she was wearing, and the look on her face as she sat there alone.
I remember.
You know what I don’t remember? I don’t remember what was said that day. I don’t remember who won the prizes or what songs were sung.
God Can Use Even Our Disobedience
But I remember her. I remember her any time God tells me to do something. Any time He prompts me to talk to someone, to say something, to go somewhere. I remember her. And I remember the feeling of being disobedient to God in that moment. I remember how it still feels.
That is the weight of hearing from God when we don’t listen. I can’t ignore Him now. I know better. I know how much ignoring His voice weighs. So now?
Faith and obedience.
Reflection:
What are some obstacles that may be keeping you from hearing God in your life? Sin? Pride? Fear? If you say you want to hear God’s voice but aren’t intentional about removing obstacles, it will be very difficult for you to move forward in this area. Spend some time specifically naming any obstacles in your life and then surrendering them to the Lord in prayer.
If you enjoyed this post, check out the book Knowing God’s Voice by Rachel Groll. Drawing upon stories of biblical women who heard God’s voice and shared His messages, Rachel will empower you to listen closely, speak boldly, and bring God’s light into an increasingly dark world.
Rachael Groll is an author, certified life coach, missionary, and podcaster with a heart for sharing Jesus with anyone who will listen. She has served in various full-time ministry capacities both locally and globally, including starting outreach programs for women, creating curriculum, teaching, and speaking. Her podcast, Hearing Jesus, has remained on the Top 30 list for Christian Podcasts in the US for the last year and ranks in the top 0.5% percent of all podcasts globally. She holds a BA in ministerial leadership from Southeastern University and an MA in Bible exposition/theology from Biola University/Talbot School of Theology. Connect with her online at RachelGroll.com.
