Obedience (Episode 13)

Obedience isn’t just hearing God’s voice  it’s actually following it. Even when it’s uncomfortable, inconvenient, or doesn’t make sense yet. True obedience is trusting that God’s plan is better than our own.

Kelsey and I talk about personal experiences and things to help understand how we can better ourselves through obedience.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey guys, welcome to the Hurts Podcast. I'm Peyton Hurt.

SPEAKER_01 0:03

And I'm Kelsey Hurt.

SPEAKER_00 0:04

And this is episode 13. 13.

SPEAKER_01 0:07

Welcome back. If you have been listening to other episodes, we're happy that you're back. If you have not checked out our other episodes, we have obviously 12 before this one.

SPEAKER_00 0:17

Yeah, so we are on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Spotify. And we post Tuesday, every Tuesday morning. So uh weekly.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

Yes. Um so join us for the ride. It's a fun time.

SPEAKER_00 0:32

Yeah. So so getting started, we're gonna talk about uh our weekend last week. Um so Friday night.

SPEAKER_01 0:39

I had a friend over.

SPEAKER_00 0:41

Yes, and I gamed with my new friend.

SPEAKER_01 0:44

Yes, fun time. Saturday I hung out with my mom and my sister. My sister was in town.

SPEAKER_00 0:49

And I had some free time to do yard work and catch up on some things around the house, so I did that.

SPEAKER_01 0:54

And then lastly, Sunday was Mother's Day, so we celebrated our moms.

SPEAKER_00 0:58

Yeah, went to church, uh, celebrated our moms, and it was good, good to have family. Uh good, really good weekend, so it was very, very relaxing too.

SPEAKER_01 1:07

And we film usually every Monday. So today, um, the week I think started off strong. Uh-huh. Today we came home from work and we ate food and then we went and played basketball. Yes. It's our new thing. We've been doing this thing where one another, like, if Peyton's shooting and he misses, he has to run, and then if I shoot and I miss, I have to run.

SPEAKER_00 1:28

So, like, I basically what she's saying is like I didn't have to run.

SPEAKER_01 1:32

No, that's not true. Um, but that was fun. And then we went for a walk and we're here. It's 9 p.m. and we're spending it with you guys. Yes. We love it.

SPEAKER_00 1:41

Yes, we do. Yes, we do.

SPEAKER_01 1:43

So uh the topic this week is called is going to be obedience. Um, and this has been on my mind a little bit. We kind of went back and forth about what we wanted to talk about, and that's why it's been what that's why it's 9 p.m. is because we tried a couple other topics and it just wasn't working. So I guess you could say we were being obedient by speaking about obedience now.

SPEAKER_00 2:05

Yes, and because it it can be easy to get discouraged and just like give up and not do it.

SPEAKER_01 2:11

Yeah, but like we're yeah, we want to be obedient and we want to be consistent and we want to post weekly, and we're so happy that we have a topic and we feel like we're able to talk about it, and it just came easily, more easily than the other topics.

SPEAKER_00 2:25

Right. And I think also like obedience to that, like God has called us, so I feel like it's kind of like when God calls you to that, like you want you want to pursue it because it feels purposeful.

SPEAKER_01 2:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:39

Uh like this feels fruitful.

SPEAKER_01 2:41

Right. I love it. It's a part of our weekly routine now.

SPEAKER_00 2:44

It is, it really is.

SPEAKER_01 2:45

If we didn't do it, I'd be like confused. What else are we doing on a Monday night?

SPEAKER_00 2:50

Alright.

SPEAKER_01 2:50

Um, so before we kind of dive into the topic, we wanted to highlight a few verses. Peyton's gonna start off by reading Hebrews 5.8.

SPEAKER_00 2:58

Yes. Okay, so Hebrews 5.8. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered. And once once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. I know that was only verse 8, that was also nine, but again, we see that um Jesus He learned obedience from from suffering what from suffering what he did. So we see that suffering on the cross.

SPEAKER_01 3:27

That was an act of obedience, yeah. Right. That's the greatest act of obedience. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:32

Because we remember that even right before Jesus hung on the cross, we remember him asking for his cup to be taken, right? Like he he he wanted God to take that away so that way he didn't have to go, but but he knew that it was God's will. Um and that that was what uh God wanted for him in his life.

SPEAKER_01 4:01

Yeah, yeah, that's powerful. Starting us off with a big one. I'm going back to the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 533. Very last verse of it. Okay. Um walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. Um, this is actually the same, the same verse as the sorry same verse, the same chapter as the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are discussed here. Um so with that context, I'm gonna read it again. Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. I think that that's obviously relating to the Ten Commandments, but we can also relate to it now, where um it's just a good reminder that the Lord has commanded us. Um maybe it's where you're working, maybe it's who you interact with day to day, maybe it's if you're starting a family or not. And just living in obedience is so important because it says you may live and prosper. Um, so God's will, it points back to God's will.

SPEAKER_00 5:08

Yeah, that's what stuck out to me too, the word prosper, because it's like uh what a what a what an encouraging word. Like, you know, if I'm obedient at my workplace, kind of like you said, if I'm obedient um, you know, in in what God calls me to do, like, in a way I think that's God is going to favor that. God is going to allow you to prosper for for trusting in him and being obedient and what he calls you to do.

SPEAKER_01 5:35

Yeah, I like that word a lot. Lastly, and this is gonna be the last verse, um, James 1, 22 through 25. I should always just have my finger on it, but it takes me a minute to find it. Okay, do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourself. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it, not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it, they will be blessed in what they do. I like that verse a lot, those verses. And I think that's such a good analogy because I mean, for me, I look in the mirror all the time.

SPEAKER_02 6:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:26

And to the point where I probably shouldn't, because it's vanity, but I guess just like, you know, that we're used to looking at ourselves and like, how does my hair look throughout the day? Let me get my camera out. Um, and imagine just doing that so consistently, and then you r right away forget what you look like, you know, like that doesn't make sense. So why would we read the word and not do what it says? Why wouldn't we be obedient to it? So I think that's a really good analogy.

SPEAKER_00 6:52

That is, and and I also I also like that because you know it puts a puts an image in my mind because like in our bathroom, obviously that's where we get ready in the morning, but we have like as soon as you walk in, we have like our our wall is like literally the entire mirror. Just so you know, like it's probably like probably 20 by 20.

SPEAKER_01 7:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:19

Like not even kidding. Maybe not 20 by 20.

SPEAKER_01 7:22

Maybe like I don't know, measurements. I'm bad at that.

SPEAKER_00 7:25

Yeah. Let's say let's say eight by eight.

unknown 7:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:27

Let's say eight by eight. I guess it doesn't even matter. But but yeah, that that image of uh of that and the analogy is really good.

SPEAKER_01 7:35

Yeah, for sure. Um, so going into more into obedience, you know, you might be asking yourself, well, why obey? First off, I think the Bible states it clearly, it's an act of worship. When you obey, you're worshiping the Lord. You're saying that he is worthy of listening to. Um, and then also obeying the Lord aligns with his will. Those scriptures had mentioned that um I can't think specifically what it said, but alluding to like it will lead you to prosper. Right. Prosperity. Right, like to prosper. Yes. Um, which leads me to say, according to James 125, we saw that it brings blessings. Yes. You know, obeying the Lord brings blessings. He if you listen to him, you know, he will bless you.

SPEAKER_00 8:18

And I think also like with obeying, it can be difficult because in this life we like to have control, right? Like we aren't comfortable with things out of our control. We aren't comfortable with things that like we don't like to put ourselves in situations that that that we don't feel comfortable in. So uh when you follow Christ, when you take a step of faith and into obedience, you're gonna be put not in a you're gonna be uncomfortable.

SPEAKER_01 8:54

You're gonna get out of your comfort zone, but you don't grow in your comfort zone. Right. I someone said that. I that always stuck with me. So obedience isn't always going to be comfortable, but again, it's going to get you where you need to go.

SPEAKER_02 9:08

Right.

SPEAKER_01 9:08

You know, if if you're if it's God telling you something to do something, um, it will help you get to where you need to go.

SPEAKER_00 9:14

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 9:15

Um, so now we want to discuss times that we have obeyed. Peyton, would you like to start it off?

SPEAKER_00 9:20

Yeah, so I'm gonna I'm gonna say this, the podcast, right? Like this is something that, and I know we've shared this in the past, but um we had had this on our heart very early on.

SPEAKER_01 9:36

Yeah, like two months into dating. Yeah, and we had bought just podcast stuff, and it was sitting around for probably like a year and a half before we could use it.

SPEAKER_00 9:47

And I I don't even know where it came from. Like it was it was so like spon it was such a spontaneous like thing that we did. Like, we just felt like yeah, like a podcast would be cool, and then we bought stuff and then it was like, well, what do we do? Like, where does this go?

SPEAKER_01 10:03

We weren't even podcast listeners, honestly. So it was just so random. Yeah, I never realized that.

SPEAKER_00 10:08

Yeah, so that was kind of something we obeyed. Like, we answered the call, but then we kind of uh like we pursued this, and I think being obedient, doing it weekly, because there's times where you know you guys don't see it, but it's it that this can be difficult sometimes.

SPEAKER_01 10:24

It can be like um we well, like we just shared, like earlier, we I think it took like two takes and thirty minutes to realize, oh, we're going to talk about obedience. And usually it comes faster sometimes where we're like, this is what we're gonna talk about, this is what we're gonna say. Yeah. But even on our walk before this episode, Peyton was saying, Well, what should what are we gonna talk about? What should we talk about? And my mind was just blank. I'm like, I honestly don't know, but yeah, so there's times where it comes easier of what to say, and then there's times where we're tired and maybe we don't know exactly what to say, but um, the Lord is still using us through that, you know, we're able to say how we struggle.

SPEAKER_00 11:03

For sure, right, and I think it's it it's really cool to see though, because like as we go through this episode and like Kelsey said, we had a few other takes before this, like everything was just so flat. Like, like we didn't we didn't know like what to say, everything just didn't flow right, but like I know this is this is the right thing because like I'm not even thinking of what to say, like it's just like coming out. Like it it's crazy how how being obedient and how the spirit works uh through that.

SPEAKER_01 11:35

So um so the podcast.

SPEAKER_00 11:38

Yeah, so the podcast, yeah, that was something that that we've been obedient in weekly, um, and it's proof of of what we've done uh to show you guys too, because we've posted weekly.

SPEAKER_01 11:50

Yeah, and while we had the idea, this just hit me. While we had the idea two months into dating, so what that was 2023 of doing a podcast, we were long distance for almost two years, yeah-ish, like eight months at a time. Um, and so we didn't want to start it in the summer while we were dating because then I'd have to go back up at school. So we were still obedient to something that was spoken or like a desire that we had um that we felt God was giving us two years ago, and it just took us a while to get it started. So the season that we had the desire was not the same in which it was time to obey, I feel like. And we had a hard time obeying at first, yeah, but it just made more sense to start a podcast once we were married, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 12:33

So we had the desire when we were dating, but the time that we obeyed was Yeah, because it would have it in that season when we were doing long distance, it would have been very difficult to I mean, how how would we have done that? I mean, we would have had have done like a Zoom call, a Zoom podcast.

SPEAKER_01 12:53

Yeah, and the thing is like also we have all of the stories from long distance and the things I went through. Um, and I we weren't the same people in 2023. So that's being that being said, is like what you're being called to do might be different each season. Yes, you know, and it might the timing might look different, but that's for something for you to pray about and maybe sit with. Maybe God God has it all under control. He does.

SPEAKER_00 13:20

So Kelsey, you you give us a Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:22

Okay, so I have a couple. Um, so first off for my job, so I mentioned the first episode, I don't really talk about it. I'm a teacher, um, and there were a couple of different options. We I interviewed at a couple different jobs, and before even getting an offer, Peyton and I were just like, or I told Peyton I'm I don't know what to do if I would get two offers from different schools. Um and Peyton and I prayed in that moment, and we just prayed that God would close the door if needed.

SPEAKER_00 13:51

And make it make it evident, make it a good idea. God make it so clear that it's not confusing.

SPEAKER_01 13:56

Yes. So I got told um that I got this job that I'm at on my birthday.

SPEAKER_02 14:02

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01 14:02

Um, and then three weeks later, after I got the declined email, like I got the rejection email from the other job I interviewed at, they called me back. And so this first job that I already accepted, it it was perfect because I I was told no from the other school. And then it was just interesting. Three weeks later they asked if I could um teach, but I had already committed to this first job. And taking this job, I've seen how God, why God has put me here. Yeah, I mean the friendships that I've grown, the things that I've learned have been so great. Um, so that was just a time where I was obedient and I I could have been like, okay, I'll take this other job. It's closer, blah, blah, blah, blah. Right. But no, I chose to stay in that first job I committed to.

SPEAKER_00 14:47

Because at that point, if you would have taken the other job, uh, because we've seen confirmation that where you're at is is right, because you've seen the fruits of of where you're at.

SPEAKER_01 14:58

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 14:58

Right? And I think also like if you would have gone with this other job, that would that we we pray that God made it evident. God made it evident, and I think that if you would have taken this, it would have been out of selfish, right? Because you said, Oh, it's closer, it's whatever.

SPEAKER_01 15:16

Like this, this, this. Yeah. So I'm very happy with where I'm at. I love the staff. Oh my goodness, it's just so amazing. God is so good. I've gotten really close to a couple of girls, and um, that was a worry of mine coming back from college, which I'll go into in a second.

SPEAKER_02 15:32

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 15:33

But coming back from college and like, you know, the new season of life, I wanted friends, so God is good. Yes, all the time. Yeah, and the second thing where I've obeyed God is just putting myself in healthy environments when I was in college, because going back to that friendship piece, I think if I would have sought approval, sought a good time, um, sought what the world had to offer, I would not be where I'm at right now.

SPEAKER_00 15:54

Yeah. So No, very good. And uh uh my second point, I would be s uh saying like God's calling on my life, being obedient, because um, you know, I'm uncomfortable with where God has placed me. Like I I your job. Like with yes, like with my job, but also like the union. I've always been an uh an introvert and like staying It's hard to believe. Yeah, staying to myself, but becoming a Christ follower, Christ has really like brought me out of my shell. Um I think being obedient in that, like I trust in God that that he's going to provide in in certain scen not in certain scenarios, but in in scenarios that he puts me in through my job, um, through ministry, through the young adults group and things like that, being able to speak into people's lives. Um God has called me to that and I want to continue to grow in that and be be obedient. So that's I think somewhere where I've continued to grow.

SPEAKER_01 16:55

That's powerful.

SPEAKER_00 16:56

Uh my neck the one that goes into that is also like God's words and his truth. Um, because I want to read and continue to learn and and grow on the knowledge that I have in the word to be able to um speak truth into other people's lives.

SPEAKER_01 17:15

Yeah, that's good. Yeah, obeying again that verse in James, like act actually doing what the word says, not just reading it. Yeah, applying it to your lives. Yes. Now I want to kind of brush brush on times that we've disobeyed just to, you know, highlight that disobeying for me, at least for my story that I'm about to tell, it delayed, I think, what God had for me. And I say that obviously God's timing is perfect, but I could have stepped into peace, I could have stepped into um whatever it might be, a healthier situation sooner than I did if I obeyed the Lord, if that makes sense. But again, my testimony, God worked it out perfectly perfectly. Um, so times that I've disobeyed, I would say leaving that one of my well, a relationship, um, because it was such an unhealthy situation and just a cycle, I would stay in it consistently, uh, constantly, and it really just tore apart my worth, um, and just caused me to stray away from honestly seeing like God's love, his goodness, and so the fact that um I stayed in it, you know, I think I disobeyed the Lord and I should have left sooner, but God is good and he restores and um yeah. Good. I'm here.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

Yeah, you're here. You're here. Okay, so times, I know this is like It's like what? It's a it's a we, but like I'm gonna revert back to the podcast too. Um and let me get into it. So when we moved in, got married, right? Like, we were still trying to figure things out, but like people kept asking, like, I feel like God was trying to like kind of nudge it. Like not that we were feeling conviction, but like we were feeling like, hey, we need to get this thing going, right? And and we were we were kind of like pushing it off, we're like, eh, we don't really know what to do, like you know, we don't have the setup. Um and then we just started filming, and once we started, like it's been amazing to see how how we've grown since episode one to now. Yeah, um, thanking God, but but but that sense of we pushed it off because we weren't comfortable with it, we weren't used to it, so we were being yeah, so we were being dis disobedient.

SPEAKER_01 19:39

Because we got married in June, and then I moved in after we got married, and I think that summer was like, okay, we're getting used to being married. We have this, this, this, this, this. We'll push the podcast off. And like you said, we just kept pushing it off to the point where it was like, okay, it's time we need to start this. And it's been really fruitful and a blessing.

SPEAKER_00 19:59

Yeah, I think there's also I don't have a specific time that I think currently right now, but I know there's been times in my life where I've tried to take control of a situation, and that's disobeying God, it it really is. Um, not being obedient because if I try to take control of a scenario or a situation in my life, I'm I am not trusting God, I'm not being obedient to what God has has for me because I'm trying to take control of it.

SPEAKER_02 20:25

So that's a good point.

SPEAKER_00 20:26

Um I don't have like I said, I don't have a specific story, but I know that I've done that in my life. Um so now that we've kind of shared personal stories, we've gone into um script things like that, scripture, um, kind of some points. If you're struggling to be obedient, right, you might be thinking, like, man, like what does obedience look like? Um so one, like, slow down and listen. Slow down and listen to God. Like, pray about what God has for you in your season of life right now. What look in look and reflect in your own life. What are you trying to take control of? What are you uh struggling to let go? Maybe there's something that that you're holding on to because uh you feel like God can't get you through that, right? Um again, that might be just not trusting in God, but I it also falls into the category of being disobedient, not obeying God.

SPEAKER_01 21:23

Yeah. And in that lean on him because he's your support. You know, I do want to say, like, we're talking about when you're struggling with obedience. You know, obedience doesn't have to be, it looks different each season. I mean, like it might be your job, maybe you're changing jobs, maybe you're just starting to interview for jobs, it could be a relationship, it could be a friendship, it could even be simple interactions, it could be you see somebody struggling and you feel like the Lord is prompting you to talk to them, but you don't feel comfortable. Right. This happens to me sometimes. And it's just like kind of that little war like, well, if I don't say something, like you know, that type of thing, a little struggle. But being obedient, even in a simple interaction, you know, to point someone to Christ, it it might look different for you. But yeah, if you slow down, listen to what God has for you, um, let go of maybe your comfort.

SPEAKER_02 22:13

Yeah. Control.

SPEAKER_01 22:14

Control. And lean on the Lord. That will be helpful. Um, and being obedient again allows you to trust in God and be who He called you to be.

SPEAKER_00 22:24

Yes, I love that. That's so good. I I I love I love how this came together.

SPEAKER_02 22:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:30

I love obedience. It's it's it's a great it's a great thing that that we have access to, obviously. Um, and something that we need to continue to do again in our reading prayer, uh, our calling in our life.

SPEAKER_01 22:43

And it's a choice. Yes, it is.

SPEAKER_00 22:45

And it's not an easy one.

SPEAKER_01 22:46

No.

SPEAKER_00 22:46

Uh, you know, because again, that that sense of control, um, giving up that control, letting go of things that um you know we may want to have access to or whatever.

SPEAKER_01 22:59

But it's an act of worship.

SPEAKER_00 23:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:01

And you've got it.

SPEAKER_00 23:02

You got it, yes. Yes, you got it.

SPEAKER_01 23:05

I think that's a wrap on our episode. It's a wrap. Thank you for listening. Yes, thank you for watching. Um, we encourage you to maybe ask God what you can be obedient in, or maybe it's evident and it just keeps coming in your mind throughout this podcast. Yeah. We pray that um you are able to follow through with obedience to Christ. It might be reading the word, it might be applying it to your life. Whatever it might be.

SPEAKER_00 23:24

Maybe it it's it's some coworker, or maybe it's someone out, a stranger that's struggling with something. Again, kind of like Kelsey said, if you feel that tugging, like, hey, maybe I should talk to them about Christ. That's the Holy Spirit. Maybe I should share my faith. That's the Holy Spirit.

SPEAKER_01 23:40

Yeah. Okay, we're getting goofy because it's right.

SPEAKER_00 23:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:44

Enjoy your week. See you guys next week. Bye guys.

SPEAKER_00 23:47

Thank you.