August 31st, 2026

By Kadeen Edwards 

Obedience
(complete and utter surrender)

“But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭15‬:‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬


Some great questions to ask ourselves are: Do I really desire His Will for my life? Do I really desire to do what He says or to do what I want? The truth is, for me, I desire His Will for my life, and my heart desires to obey His Word; however, sometimes my heart also desires what I think I want, but truth be told, I know that what God’s Will is for my life is far better than what I want or what I think I want because His thoughts are higher and His ways are higher, and He sees everything from a greater perspective. He knows what I need more than I know what I need. And so with that thought in mind, I think of Romans 12:1, where it says: Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper form of worship. So there are two voices speaking, maybe a few most times in my mind, but there’s one that is louder and speaks a better word, and it is God’s voice and His will for my life always. Although surrendering is not an easy task, it is essential for us to align our lives with God’s will. When we surrender, we relinquish all control and embrace the idea of losing our lives to gain something that cannot be lost. Sometimes, I cling to control because I believe it provides me with stability. However, I have come to understand that it is not my actions that hold me together, but rather the spirit of God that sustains me. In Him, I find my existence, my movement, and my very being. There is nothing I can accomplish without His presence. When I surrender everything to Him, there is nothing He cannot accomplish through me or for me. Total surrender involves relinquishing control over everything beyond my reach and embracing actions within my power, while simultaneously cultivating the wisdom to discern the distinction between the two.
When we submit to God, we open the door to all kinds of amazing experiences because it’s only through Him that we get to experience the abundance that He’s called us to. When we hold on to our lives, we lose our lives, but when we lose our lives and submit to Him, we gain even more.
It’s incredible how obedience concurrently offers both liberation and restriction. It establishes boundaries while granting us the freedom to explore. When we obey God, it serves as a protective measure. Unlike restrictions imposed by external forces, God’s commands are beneficial and purposeful, designed to safeguard us and foster our growth. By obeying and trusting in God, we experience a continuous flow of peace, liberation from fear, renewed strength, rejuvenated hearts, and invigorated minds. With God, the seemingly insurmountable challenges transform into opportunities. As we dwell in God’s presence, we are granted the profound experience of His abundance, love, and promises, filled with joy and everlasting pleasures. Obedience creates harmony when we go against what God is calling us to do in our lives. It creates a rougher journey than the one He was taking us on. This reminds me of the Israelites, who had an 11-day journey to get to the promised land, but it ended up taking them 40 years because they went against what God was doing. I pray for complete surrender that I would abide in the word God has spoken for my life so that the life that I live today and thereafter will be fruitful and harmonious.