IBS 24 - EPHESIANS 6:1, COLOSSIANS 3:20

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Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Colossians 3:20 

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Ephesians 6:1 

Obeying parents. My parents are the most influential people in my life. You have to understand. My parents are my best friends. I grew up like that. Now when I say that I don’t mean they didn’t discipline me, and we’re all buddy buddy. My parents most definitely disciplined me, up until the day I left home. But they never lacked the understanding of my humanness. My parents both come from very extreme sides of the parenting scale, and when they came together I would say they did a pretty good job. Now it wasn’t always easy. If I do say so myself I was very rebellious. As much as there was a soaking to be involved, there was to be a word or encouragement and a reminder of love after. My das always made sure to get explain to me what I did, why it was wrong, and that I needed to understand why it wasn’t allowed. My dad isn’t walking with the Lord. That I no way has affected my respect or trust in him. My mom is walking with the Lord and it’s one of the most beautiful things to see. Before I came to Christ I was very crazy and wild and my parents did a lot of different things to correct all my rebellious ways. I am so very very thankful that they loved me enough to do that. After I got saved my life started radically changing. And I thought it was going really well. But in the last 5 months before coming to Ignite God really started to show me all the little compromises I has made in my obedience to my parents. They said be home at 11 I’d be parking my car at 11:10. They said save 30% of your savings id save 20%. And all the while I seemed to think everything was fine. It was for sure a refining process. I didn’t see this as disobedience. It’s only 10 minutes, it’s only 10%. But I didn’t realize how hypocritical I was being. God really did some major heart surgery on me. I was humbled. God showed me my heart and for the first I saw the real person looking back at me in that mirror. I saw the disobedience and rebellion and the pride. But I also saw the grace and humility and love of God that covered all of it. I saw that in my disobedience and dishonoring my parents I was disobeying and dishonoring God. And on the other side I saw the way that when I did honor and obey them I was pleasing Him. I was to obey and honor them and God not because I had to but because I get to. God restored a lot. I was able to make the choice if spending time with my family and enjoying the season of staying and resting with them. I am thankful that God showed me my rebellion even though I thought I was doing great. And I am so extremely thankful for the parents He gave me that love me and encourage me to be all in and surrendered to Him. I am blessed to be able to honor and please God by making the choice of obedience. 


Application- tomorrow during my call home I will share with my parents what God has been doing and thank them for the way they encourage me in my walk with the Lord. Olivia will keep me accountable. 

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