The whole country of India looked on with eager expectation as Vinesh Phogat headed into the finals of the under 50kg women’s wrestling competition at the 2024 London Olympics. But what was meant to be a moment in history ended with deep anguish. After a string of wins where she defeated the reigning Olympic champion and other crowd favourites, the weigh-in ahead of the finals revealed that Vinesh was 100gms over the accepted weight limit. With the immense weight of expectations and condemnation pressing down on her, she tried to obey her coach’s advice. Her last-ditch efforts to reduce her weight included rigorous exercise, sauna, and even cutting her hair. But she could not stand on the victor’s platform—there was no medal. She’d displayed the utmost obedience to the strict training prescribed, but a technicality had crushed her joy, hope, and dreams, leaving her ashamed and dejected.

From the early days of humanity, God has revealed the importance of obedience as we exercise our free will. Disobedience led to devastating effects for Adam, Eve, and all of us as sin brought brokenness and death to our world (Genesis 3:6–19). It didn’t have to be that way. God had told Adam, “You are free to eat from any tree” but one (2:16–17). Thinking their “eyes [would] be opened, and [they would] be like God,” they ate of the banned “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (3:5; 2:17). Sin, shame, and death followed. God graciously provides freedom and so many good things for us to enjoy (John 10:10). In love, He also calls us to obey Him for our good. When we obey human rules we may not always achieve what we are after, but when we choose to obey Him we will find a life full of joy and free of shame.

During the wedding ceremony, the minister said to the bride, “Do you promise to love, honor, and obey your husband, until death do you part?” Glancing at her fiancé, she whispered, “Obey?” They’d built their relationship on love and respect—not blind obedience, as the vows seemed to suggest. Her father-in-law captured on film that wide-eyed moment when she processed the word obey and said, “I do.”

Over the years, God has shown her that her resistance to the word obey had nothing to do with the incredibly complex relationship between a husband and wife. She understood obey to mean “subjugated” or “forced submission,” which Scripture doesn’t support. Rather, the word obey in the Bible expresses the many ways we can love God. As this couple celebrated thirty years of marriage, through the power of the Holy Spirit they’re still learning to love Jesus and each other. When Jesus said, “If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15 NLT), He showed us that obedience to the Scriptures would be the result of an ongoing loving and intimate relationship with Him (vv. 16–21).

Jesus’ love is selfless, unconditional, and never forceful or abusive. As we follow and honor Him in all our relationships, the Holy Spirit can help us see obedience to Him as a wise and loving act of trust and worship.

Mangoes are the most sought-after seasonal fruit in India. So, when a whole orchard full of them is parked right next door, you cannot but desire a few. Knowing this temptation, young Vijayan’s parents had a basic biblical rule firmly in place during the mango season: “Thou shalt not steal.” But since there would be no evidence anyhow, Vijayan and his little buddies would often climb across the fence and steal a few, leaving no evidence behind. No harm came to them, nor were they ever discovered, but they knew in their hearts they’d been disobedient.

Obedience doesn’t always come naturally. The choice to obey or not to obey can spring from a sense of duty or fear of punishment. But we can also choose to obey out of love and respect for those in authority over us. In John 14, Jesus challenged His disciples by saying, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. . . . Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching” (vv. 23–24). It’s not always an easy choice to obey, but the power of the Spirit living within us gives us the desire and ability to obey Him (vv. 15–17). With His enablement, we can continue to follow the commands of the One who loves us most—not out of fear of punishment, but out of love.

The offer looked good, and was exactly what Santhosh needed.. After being laid off, this sole breadwinner of a young family had prayed desperately for a job. “Surely this is God’s answer to your prayers,” his friends suggested.

Reading about the prospective employer, however, Santhosh felt uneasy. The company invested in suspicious businesses and had been flagged for corruption. In the end, Santhosh rejected the offer, though it was painful to do so. “I believe God wants me to do the right thing,” he shared with me. “I just have to trust He will provide for me.”

Santhosh was reminded of the account of David meeting Saul in a cave. It seemed like he was being given the perfect opportunity to kill the man hunting him down, but David resisted. “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing . . . for he is the anointed of the Lord,” he reasoned (1 Samuel 24:6). David was careful to distinguish between his own interpretation of events and God’s command to obey His instruction and do the right thing.

Instead of always trying to look for “signs” in certain situations, let’s look to God and His truth for wisdom and guidance to discern what lies before us. He will help us do what’s right in His eyes.