Trusting God When Obedience Doesn't Make Sense | Made Whole

Friends, hand to heart, I remember sitting down with Desiree and feeling that hush of the Holy Spirit between us. Can I tell you something? Her story begins with something so ordinary it makes you smile: a thrift store find. She tells the story of walking into a consignment shop because she felt a prompting, and finding a picture that felt like a personal word from God about her identity and His sacrifice. That moment set the tone for a season where obedience looked nothing like she expected.

I love that tangible moment because it shows how God meets us in small, very human places. Desiree walked through seasons of loneliness, wrestling, and even stepping away from faith as a teen. She ended up pregnant, scared, and full of opinions from everyone around her. In the middle of that mess she cried out, and she remembers a vision of Jesus reaching down, asking her to take His hand. He said keep the baby and promised to be father and husband in ways she could not yet see.

That moment of saying yes was not a tidy proof that everything would be easy. It was messy and raw. She still wrestled, questioned, and sometimes wondered if God was really there. But she kept moving toward him. That steady, imperfect movement is one of the most faithful responses we have. It reminded me of Proverbs 3 5 6 where we are invited to trust the Lord with all our heart and not rely on our own understanding. Desiree's yes was not the end of doubt, it was the start of a faith that grows through the confusion.

Here is what I kept hearing from her story and what I want you to take away. First, obedience often arrives without a full map. You won't always get the directions first. Second, God uses small, ordinary things to remind you of who you are. Third, wrestling does not mean failure. It often means you're alive in your faith.

• Practical next step one - keep showing up. Even tiny choices to turn toward God matter.
• Practical next step two - pay attention to small promptings. A store, a picture, a word can be the way God speaks.
• Practical next step three - find community who will walk with you when the steps feel unclear.

Desiree was honest about depression and doubt. She said she had moments where she felt nothing had changed. That honesty matters because it gives us permission to be real with God and with each other. I want you to hear that faith does not eliminate hardship. It changes how we carry it.

So what might this look like for you this week? Maybe you say yes to a small obedience - an apology, a phone call, a quiet hour with Scripture. Maybe you trust God with the next right step instead of demanding the whole plan. You don't have to know the final chapter to take the next page.

As we close, I invite you to rest in the truth that God is present even when the path is unclear. If you find yourself wrestling, reach out, tell a friend, and keep leaning in. Desiree's story is a reminder that our yes is met by a God who keeps his promises and walks with us through the ordinary and the unexpected.

Friends, I hope this episode encourages you to trust in small next steps and to hold on when you can't see the outcome. Listen to Desiree's story, share it with someone who needs to hear they're not alone, and leave feedback to let us know how this episode landed with you. Please listen, share, and leave feedback about this episode.