5 Unexpected Benefits of Doing God’s Will in Difficult Times

When going through a difficult situation, we think that as we do God’s will, we see the benefit for our obedience as the peace He gives to us. That’s very true, but often there are benefits that emerge later that we didn’t expect.

What does it mean to do God’s Will? As a follower of Jesus Christ, we want to be obedient and faithful to His Word.

John 14:21 NIV “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Jesus is saying that love for Him and obedience to His Word go hand in hand. That’s our expression of love for Him and all He does for us.

We are going to look at “5 Unexpected Benefits of Doing God’s Will in Difficult Times“:

• Benefit 1: A New Direction Becomes Clear
• Benefit 2: God Prepares You for Future Battles
• Benefit 3: God Aligns Your Steps Little by Little
• Benefit 4: God Blesses Others Through Your Obedience
• Benefit 5: God Protects You from Future Pain

Benefit 1: A New Direction Becomes Clear

Isaiah 43:19 NIV “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

One particular instance in my life was when I was losing interest in art. I was a professional artist for a long time. I couldn’t understand this because it had been such a big part of my life.

I tried to focus my paintings on the Lord. Why was this occurring? For several years, I looked at different types of art to stimulate me. It didn’t work.

Then, just before the pandemic, we lost Anna, my granddaughter. This focused my attention on how good the Lord had been to us through this time. I thought about writing to help others see how the Lord could help them by studying His Word.

That led through a lot of research to writing for this blog.

When I was struggling in art, seeking God’s will, I never dreamed I would have the opportunity to write and share God’s Word with others.

Looking back, the lack of interest in art was the Lord’s leading me to write. I have joy in this work.

Benefit 2: God Prepares You for Future Battles

1 Samuel 1:10 NIV “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.“

1 Samuel 1:27-28 NIV “For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.“

This is Hannah’s story. She was married to Elkanah, who also had another wife, Peninnah. Peninnah had several children, but Hannah had not been able to conceive. Much to Peninnah’s delight. She constantly reminded Hannah, causing her great pain.

Finally, Hannah cried out to the Lord in Shiloah when they were there for their annual time to sacrifice at the temple. She knew trusting in the Lord was the answer to her trials. Because of her obedience to the Lord, He answered her by blessing her with a son.

So the benefit of her obedience was a son. But was that all?

Remember, she gave her child, Samuel, back to the Lord. That would be very hard for any mother. The suffering she had been through prepared her for this time when she would fulfill her vow to God by giving her son to His service.

The Lord did not forget Hannah for her grateful and giving heart. She had three other sons and two daughters. Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

Benefit 3: God Aligns Your Steps Little by Little

Ruth 1:16-18 NIV “But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” 

This well noted verse is from Ruth. She was the daughter-in-law of Naomi that chose to return with her when she left Moab.

Ruth trusted the Lord and chose to go back to Bethlehem with Naomi even though she would leave her family behind.

It would not be an easy change for Ruth, being a foreign woman in a strange country. Ruth just obeyed God without knowing what the future would hold.

Throughout the Book of Ruth, we see God taking her step by step to her future position with God. God gave her and Naomi a protected life with Boaz. The child she conceived was the great-grandfather of David, and also included Ruth in the lineage of Jesus Christ.

This was the apparent benefit of Ruth’s obedience. An unexpected benefit is that God slowly and quietly led her, step by step, toward His will. When we think God is quiet, it doesn’t mean He’s not working. This encourages us, as in Ruth, to wait on the Lord.

Benefit 4: God Blesses Others Through Your Obedience

Esther 4:16 NIV “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

Esther was a Jew who became Queen to King Xerxes, who ruled over the vast Persian Empire, through a beauty contest. Mordecai, her cousin, warned Esther that Haman, an official of King Xerxes, had plans to kill all the Israelites.

Mordecai wanted Esther to go to the King on behalf of the Israelites. She resisted and told him it could cost her life if the King did not recognize her appearance before him. Mordecai told her, did she think she would escape the destruction?

Esther 4:12-14 NIV “ When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer:’Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

Esther then sent word to Mordecai and told him to gather the Jews in Susa for a three-day and night fast for her. She and her attendants would fast also before she went in to the King. “And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:15 NIV)

The King did receive Queen Esther. She requested the King and Haman to dinner. Her request at dinner was to invite them to another meal. It was at this meal that Queen Esther told the King of Haman’s plans to destroy Esther and her people. King Xerxes was furious and had Haman hanged on the gallows.

Due to Esther’s obedience, not only was she and her family protected, but all the Israelites living in Susa were protected as well.

Many times, in our own trials, our obedience not only blesses us but also touches the lives of others in a very positive way.

Benefit 5: God Protects You from Future Pain

1 Samuel 25:23-27 NIV “When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground.  She fell at his feet and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord, and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool, and folly goes with him.

And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent.  And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal. And let this gift, which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you.”

Abigail was married to Nabal, a very rich man in Carmel, in the Desert of Paran. At this time David was running from Saul. He had helped Nabal’s men before and sent ten of his men to him to ask for provisions. David’s men went back and informed him that Nabal had refused to help.

David becames angry and told his men to strap on their swords to attack Nabal. In the meantime, Abigail was told about Nabal’s answer and quickly began to gather supplies for David.

When she saw David, she fell to her knees and apologized for her husband’s mistake. She explained she had supplies for him and his men.

Abigail’s obedience stopped the bloodshed of her family, but also the pain David would have experienced later if he had killed them out of anger.

Conclusion

The primary goal of Christians is to follow God’s will. Not because we have to, but because we love Him. It’s not always easy to follow through without the strength of the Lord.

We have looked at “5 Unexpected Benefits of Doing God’s Will in Difficult Times”.

• Benefit 1: A New Direction Becomes Clear
• Benefit 2: God Prepares You for Future Battles
• Benefit 3: God Aligns Your Steps Little by Little
• Benefit 4: God Blesses Others Through Your Obedience
• Benefit 5: God Protects You from Future Pain

Seeing these examples of more subtle benefits of doing God’s will, encourages our heart that there are many benefits to obeying the Lord.

It also helps to look deeper into what God has for us as Christians by reading and studying His Word.

All you need is a little time and the Bible to grow your relationship with the Lord. His will gets easier the more time you spend with Him.