Do I Have To?
Do I have to? Those four little words frequently crossed my mind and sometimes my lips in response to my parents’ directives during the formative years of my life. The inevitable consequences and pressure to conform usually caused me to obey, though not always in a timely manner. The required duties were sometimes unpleasant but not overwhelming; I just didn’t want to do them. I eagerly looGet More Articles—Subscribe Today!
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This is a great article 🙂. I think the problem boils down to how people view God. Instead of viewing God as a father who looks at them with delight and loves them with unconditional love, they view him as a harsh, severe, angry God who is always angry with them and always dissatisfied, ready to hurt and punish. They view God as a strict, task, slave master. What that does is produce obedience out of fear (being scared of God) and not obedience out of true love for him. They’ll do things bc they are supposed to or have to instead of because they want to do it. This is too common in the church and it’s very, very sad. Also, eventually people who are “obeying” this way will end up resentful in their obedience to God and resent him also. But if they view God correctly, they will be happy to obey him. I wish more Pastors would speak on this. Those are just my thoughts. God bless 🙏🏾💗