Obedience Precedes Joy

Many people are searching for joy in their lives. Self-help books line the shelves of bookstores, and our social media feeds are clogged with life coaches who promise we can lead fulfilled, joyful lives if we will only follow their simple steps (which typically require you to pay to reveal their wisdom). Unsurprisingly, the Bible reveals how we can experience joy, but the answer may surprise you. Joy comes through obedience, and the order is important. Obedience precedes joy. That may sound simplistic, but there is biblical evidence that bears this truth out.

Waiting for the Right Time to Obey?

Often, when we are seeking to follow the Lord and obey Him, we find ourselves waiting. We wait for the right “feeling” before we take that first step of obedience. We tell ourselves, “I am tired today. I will begin when I feel motivated,” or “I will wait until inspiration strikes.” Maybe I will wait until the mood is right, or when things “slow down.” I do not know about you, but I have been waiting for things to slow down for decades! If I am waiting for the right feeling to come first, I may end up waiting forever.

Very few things that are worth doing—that which makes an eternal difference—benefit from waiting for the right emotional mindset. This includes our vocation, our relationships, and what the Lord has called us to do. These do not begin with an emotion: they begin with a decision. And those decisions are often made in the face of resistance.

The Harvest Comes After the Labor

We see this truth borne out in the Bible. Psalm 126:5-6 says, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” These verses promise that the Word of God will not return void, and that God will bless our obedience to Him. But please notice the order given in these verses. To reap in joy, you must first sow in tears.

I have never worked on a farm, but those who have understand that sowing seed is not relaxing work. It involves bending down repeatedly, making sure the seeds are distributed correctly. It means working long hours, sometimes by yourself, no matter the weather conditions, and certainly not based on your mood. After the seeds are planted, and your back is sore, there is no immediate sign of harvest. You must wait for the harvest to bear fruit. However, we can rest in the promise that those who sow in tears will reap in joy. But remember the divine order: the joy comes at the end. The tears must come first.

Christ’s Obedience Preceded His Joy

Our Lord Jesus said it plainly when instructing His disciples: “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:17). Jesus gave this instruction to His disciples after He had finished washing their feet, before the Last Supper. What would you do if you knew you were going to die tomorrow? Jesus knew He was gong to the cross. Yet He still chose to serve. He chose to obey His Father. Why?

The answer is in Hebrews 12:2: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Notice again that joy is not at the beginning. The joy is at the end, and it is the result of obedience. The cross came first, but the result was joy. Doing comes first; the gladness follows.

A Repeating Pattern

We can see this pattern repeated through all the areas of our lives. Many of us wake up Monday through Friday and drive to work. How is our attitude most mornings? Are we excited to make that commute, thanking God for the fulfilling employment He has blessed us with? Or do we find our work lacks meaning and feels empty? If we find ourselves in the latter situation, it could be because we have things backwards. Meaningfulness will arrive when we show up, even if we do not feel like it. We will increase our skill, strengthen our character, and the feeling of satisfaction and joy will catch up to our disciplined efforts.

Husbands and wives sometimes drift apart for similar reasons. They wait for that feeling of love before they act lovingly. (More on this in Scott’s session, “Guarding Your Garden.”) We must understand that love is not a feeling. Love is a verb, and thus requires action. The feeling of love will arrive after the actions of love have taken place.

Do Not Talk Yourself Out of Obedience

Too often, we will sit under preaching or read a verse of Scripture, and sense the conviction that we are not obeying as we ought. We imagine all the possibilities of how we can serve. A surge of excitement fills us! Then we begin to think about everything else in our lives. Negotiation starts within ourselves, and the excuses come. “It’s not the right time… It’s too much work… I’m not ready… it might not succeed.” The initial spark fades, hesitation settles in, and the opportunity quietly slips away.

This is a simple truth to understand, but we must not stop at merely understanding. We must take that understanding and turn it into action, confident that the very feelings we long for—joy, peace, satisfaction—are almost always waiting for us on the far side of obedience. Joy is not what fuels us for obedience. Joy is the reward for obedience.

If we do experience a rush of inspiration or a strong motivation to do something for the Lord, thank Him for that motivation, and do not hesitate to follow through! However, we are not promised that obedience will always feel good when we begin. More often, obedience gives way to joy.

Obey Before the Feelings Come

I have often heard it said that if we do not feel like obeying, we should obey anyway. This is more than a simple cliche. It is Biblical truth. We cannot let the feelings of our flesh dictate the terms of our walk with God. Our flesh will always provide us with a handy excuse (or multiple excuses!) not to obey. Our flesh craves comfort, and it will fight against sacrifice. The flesh is selfish, and we cannot wait for the flesh to give its approval to our plans. Spiritual maturity means choosing obedience first, trusting that God designed life so that joy, peace, and blessing follow faithful action.

Joy is often the fruit, not the root, of a life lived for God.

The Apostle Paul knew this well when he wrote, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). Weariness is part of service. We should not be surprised when we encounter resistance, suffer persecution, or struggle with doubt. But we must not quit. The reaping is guaranteed. If we quit, we forfeit the harvest that God has already prepared for us.

James warns against our failure to obey God. In James 4:17, he writes, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” We too often emphasize the sins that we commit, while excusing the obedience that we omit. But our lack of obedience is just as much sin as the worst sins we could commit. That is why it is vital to obey even when we do not feel like obeying.

Choose to Obey Today

Here is the gracious invitation of our Lord today: Stop waiting for the perfect feeling to arrive before you choose to obey. Begin moving in the direction God is calling you. Sow even when the tears come. Act even when motivation is missing. Trust the promises of God that the feelings will catch up once you faithfully obey Him.

Because they always do. Joy and satisfaction are real, and they are obtainable. But we will not find them at the starting line. They are waiting on the far side of obedience.

May the Lord help us today to be doers of the Word and not hearers only (James 1:22). Happy are we if we do them!

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About David Pack

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