Obedience: The True Mark of Christian Discipleship

Posted on by thechristiantechnerd

Today, I’m writing this with trembling hands and a heavy heart—not out of fear, but with the kind of spiritual weight that comes when God stirs something deep in your soul. I feel like the Holy Spirit won’t let me move forward until I sit with this truth: obedience is not occasional. It’s a lifestyle. A commitment.

I don’t want to sugarcoat anything. I’m not here to play Christian dress-up or quote Scripture when it feels convenient. I’m here to live it, breathe it, suffer for it if I have to. And lately, God has been confronting me about what I really mean when I say, “Jesus is Lord of my life.”

Because if I truly believe that, how dare I reserve the right to say “yes, but not right now” or “yes, but not in front of them” or “yes, as long as it doesn’t cost me comfort, reputation, or connection.” Who am I kidding?

Luke 6:46 says: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”

That verse pierced through me today like a sword. It’s Jesus asking a question most of us dodge with spiritual fluff. We love the idea of Him being our Savior—our Provider, our Comforter, our Deliverer. But our Lord? That’s where we hesitate.

And the truth is, Lordship means ownership.

If He owns me—my body, my choices, my time, my future—then obedience is not optional. It’s expected. Not from a place of fear or pressure, but love and honor.

I think of Hebrews 13:5, where God says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
That’s not a cute quote for a coffee mug. That’s a promise to carry with us when obedience leaves us standing alone. When saying “yes” to God means losing relationships. When obedience costs us popularity, stability, or dreams we once held dear.

And He will ask us to surrender things we value.

Why? Because He’s cruel? No. Because He’s holy. And we can’t carry our idols and His glory at the same time. It’s one or the other.

I’ve had to wrestle with this personally. God recently asked me to walk away from a situation that wasn’t sinful in the eyes of the world—but it was disobedient in the eyes of God. I knew it. Deep down, I knew I had to walk away.

But do you know how hard it is to obey God when everyone around you is choosing convenience over conviction?

That’s when Romans 8:28 anchored me: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

All things. Even heartbreak. Even loneliness. Even the messes that come from doing the right thing.

Sometimes, obedience looks like closing doors you prayed would stay open. Sometimes, it’s deleting the text, walking away from the friend group, or speaking up when silence would be safer. Sometimes, it’s trusting God with your reputation when the world calls you “too intense” or “too Christian.”

But what does too Christian even mean? Last I checked, Christ didn’t go halfway to the Cross.

That’s why I can’t be halfway with Him.

Here’s the thing: partial obedience is still disobedience. Delayed obedience is disobedience. Conditional obedience is disobedience.

We don’t get to pick and choose. It’s either all in, or we’re playing church.

And I’m done playing church.

I’m done saying, “God, I’ll obey if…” or “I’ll obey when…” I want to be found faithful even when it’s dark, even when I’m scared, even when the outcome is unclear.

I want to be the kind of woman who obeys God with tears streaming down her face, with shaky hands and a surrendered heart, trusting that His way is better—even when it breaks mine.

1 Samuel 15:22 says, “To obey is better than sacrifice.”
God isn’t impressed by how many Bible studies I attend, or how eloquently I can talk about faith. He’s looking at the posture of my heart. Am I willing to obey Him when no one’s clapping, when it’s inconvenient, when it costs me everything?

Because that’s when obedience becomes real.

Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

This isn’t about legalism. It’s about love.

I obey because I love Him. I love Him more than my comfort. More than my image. More than my timeline or dreams.

And tonight, I want to say this out loud as a prayer:


Lord, forgive me for the times I’ve obeyed selectively. For the moments I negotiated with You as if You owe me options. You are not a consultant; You are King. Help me to walk in radical obedience—even when it’s uncomfortable. Even when it costs me everything I thought I needed. I trust that what You ask of me is always for my good, even if I can’t see it yet. Make me the kind of woman who follows You without compromise. I want to live for Your glory, not my gain. In Jesus’ name, amen.

So here I am. A 25-year-old woman who doesn’t have it all figured out, but knows one thing for sure:

I’d rather be rejected by the world in obedience to God than accepted by the world in rebellion against Him.

And if obedience means I walk alone sometimes, I’ll still choose it.

Because I am committed.

Not halfway. Not occasionally. But fully, completely, and passionately—

Even when it hurts.


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Published by thechristiantechnerd

22 year old college student! 100% Christian,! Will ALWAYS be a woman of FAITH. And my friends call me the "The Christian Tech Nerd" because I was hired by a very successful tech company in Silicon Valley, and I turned them down to be close to my family!

24 thoughts on “Obedience: The True Mark of Christian Discipleship”

  3. The word -nerd- does represent nothing of who you are. 

    Orthodoxy is all about a way of life                                                                             https://wordpress.com/post/jameswiliamsblog.wordpress.com/6331

     [Mathew 5:8] “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God”.  The personal experience of the Saints begotten during conduct with Divine Light is the very base of Orthodox theology.    God bless

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    1. Amen and thank you so much! I love how you said, “Emotion leads to motion”—what a powerful truth. When our hearts are stirred by the Spirit, it truly does move us toward the kind of action that brings real, lasting transformation. I’m so grateful we get to seek God’s will together—His kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. No death, no sickness, no pain… just His presence and His peace.

      Grace upon grace to you as well! Let’s keep moving forward in faith. 🙏🔥💛

      “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” — Romans 12:2

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    1. I’m so glad the message spoke to you. You’re not alone—many of us have been there at some point. The beautiful thing is that God’s mercy is always waiting for us, and He’s more than able to lift us back up when we call on Him. Keep seeking Him, even in the smallest steps. He sees your heart, and He’s not done with you. Praying strength and renewal over you. 🙏❤️

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  8. Something has definitely shifted in the Spiritual realm. A lot of believers are feeling the same as you are (myself included). It’s as if the Holy Spirit is giving us a wake-up call so that we become serious for the Lord’s kingdom.

    May God bless your ministry and may He keep on using you to reach unbelievers and encourage believers.

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  9. Something has definitely shifted in the Spiritual realm. A lot of believers are feeling the same as you are (myself included). It’s as if the Holy Spirit is giving us a wake-up call so that we become serious for the Lord’s kingdom.

    May God bless your ministry and may He keep on using you to reach unbelievers and encourage believers.

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  11. I never thought I’d hear a message like this one today. It sounds like me in my street preaching days. Youthful zeal can be beautiful to see. Christian Nerd I hold you in hero status, not to be confused with hero worship, but in sincere admiration, and someone whose example is very good to follow. Your nickname “Christian Nerd” has become a term of endearment to me. I do like colorful characters with unique personalities. I celebrate being different. Me? I am very different from anyone I have ever met, and I am totally comfortable with that. As long as someone truly follows King Jesus Christ in word, thought, feelings, acts, works, deeds, love, patience, and faithful dedication – then they are good people to be around. So welcome to my tribe Christian Nerd, I accept you as a member in good standing.

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