How to Obey God and Find Healing in Uncertain Seasons of Life
Does the idea of obedience ever make you a little uneasy? I get it. If you had asked me years ago how to obey God when everything felt upside down, I might have just stared back with a tight smile and a lot of questions. I know how strange it feels to even say the words "healing through obedience" out loud. But can I tell you something? I've learned that the way we walk with God when the path is blurry often leads to the deepest kind of healing. Not because we get it all right, but because we let Him into the mess, the uncertainty, the “not sure what to do next” seasons.
In our recent podcast episode of Perspectives Into Practice, we talked about what it looks like to lean into God's call—not when it’s obvious and easy—but when every part of you wants to say, “Lord, are you sure you meant me?" Friend, if you have wondered how to obey God in the middle of fear, doubt, or just plain confusion, you are not alone. And the good news? God does beautiful things with a simple, “yes.”
Why Obedience Feels So Hard When Life is Uncertain
Facing the Unknown With God
Let’s just be real for a minute. How many of us like to have a plan? A neat to-do list. Steps A, B, and C. But more often, how to obey God looks like stepping forward into fog, not clarity. I remember talking with our guest on the podcast about the surprise of God’s invitations. Sometimes it’s a gentle nudge in the quiet, sometimes it comes out of nowhere—in a car with the windows down, full of gratitude and zero expectation. That’s when you realize God isn’t calling you to a perfect plan. He’s calling you to trust.
And even in the trusting, the uncertainty feels like too much. I wrestled with this myself. There were days I thought, ‘If I just wait long enough, maybe He’ll pick someone else.’ Maybe you’ve sat in that moment, too—where following God feels scary, not exciting. That’s okay. We learn how to obey God not by never feeling fear, but by not letting fear be the loudest thing in the room.
Letting Go of the Fear of Failure
Can I tell you something? For me, the biggest hurdle wasn’t the thing God was asking me to do. It was the question, "What if I fail?" Our podcast guest said it out loud, and I nodded along. It’s not just about letting ourselves down. We worry we’ll disappoint God, our family, our community. But here’s the thing—God’s not surprised by our limits. He’s not sitting with a red pen, ready to circle our mistakes. He’s inviting us to walk with Him and see what He will do. That’s the heart of how to obey God. It’s less about a flawless performance and more about honest, heartfelt willingness.
Failure isn’t the end. It’s part of our growth. I’ve seen again and again that God meets us in those small “yes” moments and in the honest tears and shaking knees, too.
What Does Obedience Actually Look Like?
Starting With Small Steps
If you want a five-step plan on how to obey God perfectly, I can't hand you one. (Believe me, I’ve looked.) But I can offer what I’ve learned—obedience almost always starts small. Maybe it’s saying yes to a conversation, opening your heart to share your story or offering to pray for someone when you feel unqualified.
One of the biggest lessons from our conversation was that obedience is less about giant leaps and more about next right steps. Little acts of faith. Offering what you have and trusting God to multiply it. That’s how to obey God when the full picture is anything but clear.
Trusting God With the Process
I want to encourage you with this: you don’t have to understand everything to obey. You don’t have to have it all together. There’s a passage I keep close for days I feel shaky:
"Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith." (Hebrews 12:1-2 CSB)
This verse reminds me that it’s not about my pace or qualifications. It’s about looking to Jesus, the one who already knows the finish line.
Where We Find Healing in Obedience
Surrendering Control and Receiving Grace
This is the hard part, isn’t it? We want to direct the outcome. We want to control how things unfold. But healing comes not because we orchestrate a perfect plan—healing comes when we let go and trust that God knows what He’s doing, even if we don’t see it yet.
In our podcast, we talked about those moments when obedience led to a deeper kind of healing than any perfectly executed plan ever could. It’s in the quiet yes, the unseen spaces, the nights you pray, “Lord, I’m scared, but I trust you.” That is the soil where renewal blooms.
The Gift of Community
I’ll say it again and again: we were never meant to figure out how to obey God all by ourselves. I am so grateful for the friends, mentors, and family who sat with me, prayed with me, and reminded me I wasn’t alone. Healing grows best in community—in honest conversations, shared laughter, and sometimes, shared tears.
- Lean on people who cheer for your obedience, not just your success
- Reach out when you need encouragement (I promise, someone else gets it)
- Remember, your story matters—your yes might be the encouragement someone else needs
How to Obey God When You Feel Unqualified
Imperfect Obedience is Still Obedience
If you feel God tugging at your heart to step out, but you don’t feel qualified, you’re in good company. Many of us think, “I’ll obey when I’m more ready, or more spiritual, or when I know the outcome.” Can I encourage you? God uses ordinary people with willing hearts. That’s His specialty. You don’t need to be perfect, just available.
Every time I thought, “God, is this for someone else? Shouldn’t you pick someone with better credentials?”—He gently reminded me, “Just trust me with this step. Let me handle the rest.”
Practical Ways to Start Saying Yes to God
- Talk with a friend or mentor about what you sense God is inviting you to do
- Write down your fears and bring them to God in prayer—be honest
- Take one tangible step (send the email, have the conversation, show up)
- Celebrate small acts of obedience, knowing God is working even when results aren’t instant
Sometimes healing comes just by opening the door to God’s invitation, not by crossing a finish line. Saying yes, even with trembling hands, is what matters.
Encouragement For the Journey
God’s Faithfulness in Every Yes
Let me close with this: Obedience is not about being perfect, fast, or fearless. How to obey God is about trusting He is with you in every step, in every unknown, and in every “I don’t know if I can do this” moment. He is not asking you to do this alone. The healing He offers through obedience is not just for you, but for everyone your story touches—in your home, your church, your neighborhood, and far beyond.
So whatever season you’re in—if the next step feels foggy, or you’re struggling with how to obey God with an unsure heart—I want you to know your yes matters. And yes, healing is possible, even if it starts small and quiet.
If you want to hear more real stories of healing, faith, and quiet courage, be sure to listen to the full episode of Perspectives Into Practice. Or connect with our community at perspectivesintopractice.com. Healing can begin today, right where you are. Let’s put faith into practice together.
