The Hardest Obedience: Spiritual Discernment and Trusting God’s Warning by Faith
- meetgodattheedgeof
- Nov 12
- 2 min read
John 10:27 (NIV)
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."
Today’s testimony is brought to you by our Heavenly Father.
Over the years my wife and I have visited many churches—some large, some small—and only a few ever felt like home until the Lord called us to move. Most were kind and welcoming. People would greet us at the door, talk about their church, and then, once we slipped inside, we blended into the crowd. Sometimes our hesitation was our own doing; other times, it was discernment stirring in our spirits.
As my walk with Christ deepened, I began to recognize that stirring for what it was: spiritual discernment. Over time, the Holy Spirit trained my heart to feel when something was off. I could sense it deep in the pit of my stomach—those quiet, holy warnings that you don’t ignore.
One Sunday, years ago, I walked into a church and immediately felt the Lord say, “Be careful.” My senses sharpened. I didn’t see anything obviously wrong, but I stayed alert. It was training—a lesson I wouldn’t understand until much later.
Fast forward. My family and I had found a small church we loved. We believed in it, supported it, and had friends there. But one morning, the moment I stepped through the door, it hit me—like a bat to the gut. I froze right there in the foyer, scanning the room for what was wrong. My eyes landed on a young woman I’d never seen before, and instantly I knew something was spiritually off.
I prayed quietly for protection, greeted her politely, and left. For the next several days, I struggled to understand what God was showing me. I prayed, asking Him what to do and why I seemed to be the only one who felt it.
Then came the vision.
It was vivid—so real that it shook me. In that vision, God warned me that this woman would turn the church against me, that people I loved would side with her, and that the ripple would strike even my marriage. At the end of the vision, I heard the Lord say clearly: “Don’t step foot in there again.”
That was my test. Would I obey even when I didn’t fully understand? Would I trust God’s warning by faith—even if it cost me community, comfort, and friendship?
I obeyed. It was one of the hardest decisions of my life. Walking away broke my heart, but protecting my family’s spiritual covering came first. As the high priest of my household, my duty is obedience, not popularity.
Years later, I can see how spiritual discernment and obedience to God’s warning protected us. Since leaving, God has confirmed again and again that He was pleased with our obedience. His blessings, peace, and provision have followed.
Faith sometimes means walking away before you understand why. It means trusting the whisper of the Holy Spirit more than the noise of the crowd. When you obey God’s warning, you walk in His safety.
Thank You, Father, for one more day—and for the strength to obey when it’s hard.
