January 5th, 2026
By: Tabitha White
People who know me well know that I love a good quote! My Bible is full of quotes from sermons. When I read a book, I highlight tons of quotes that catch my attention, and I have several quotes posted in my office. Whether they are encouraging or challenging, I just love a good quote!
About a week ago, I was listening to Hoyt’s new podcast, and he said something that caught my attention: “Obedience isn’t optional.”
Can I be really honest and transparent with you? There have been quite a few times in my life that God has asked me to do something uncomfortable, and I planted my feet where I was standing. Instead of immediately doing what I felt in my Spirit, I proceeded to argue with God. The argument would turn into bargaining, and sometimes I would throw out a compromise on how I thought that my idea of obedience was the better option. As you can imagine, that has never ended in my favor.
I vividly remember arguing with God one night at kids camp. As I was trying to go to sleep on the last night of camp, I felt like God asked me to send a simple text to someone - “don’t let something temporary keep you from someone eternal.” It was a text that would have taken less than five seconds to type…but did I do it? No. Instead, I spent the next little while praying for the person and their current situation and for God to intervene (as He was asking me to send that text..isn’t that an ironic prayer?). Each time I woke up during the night, I felt the same prompting! And each time, I said that I wasn’t going to do that, but instead I would pray.
After tossing and turning all night, I informed God that I had thought of a compromise. I would say the sentence during our last meeting at camp and make eye contact with the person, so they would clearly know that I was talking to them. Every time I think back to that moment, I roll my eyes and want to kick myself! Who am I to throw out a compromise to God?! But that’s what I did.
Let’s read back over that quote: “Obedience isn’t optional.” It’s just not!
Is it always easy? No!
Is it uncomfortable? Almost always, yes!
Is it necessary? Absolutely!
“Obedience isn’t optional!”
Let’s look at what Samuel told Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22, “But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.”
Saul had also offered God a compromise. After being told to completely annihilate the Amalekites, he spared the life of the king and the best of the animals - “everything, in fact, that appealed to them” (1 Samuel 15:9). God was so angry that He rejected Saul as king!
Again, our obedience isn’t something that we get to offer to God when it’s convenient or when we like the outcome. Our obedience is something that we should give Him fully every minute of every day.
I came across this quote as I was reading my devotional for this year, "Suffering is not the worst thing that can happen to us. Disobedience to God is the worst thing.” I want to invite you to join me this year, as I surrender my will to God! I don’t want to look back on 2026 and roll my eyes and want to kick myself, like that memory from kids camp!
Will it be easy? No.
Will we be uncomfortable? Almost always, yes!
Is it necessary? It is!
But, will it be worth it in the end? Absolutely!!
Because, my friend, “obedience isn’t optional”!
People who know me well know that I love a good quote! My Bible is full of quotes from sermons. When I read a book, I highlight tons of quotes that catch my attention, and I have several quotes posted in my office. Whether they are encouraging or challenging, I just love a good quote!
About a week ago, I was listening to Hoyt’s new podcast, and he said something that caught my attention: “Obedience isn’t optional.”
Can I be really honest and transparent with you? There have been quite a few times in my life that God has asked me to do something uncomfortable, and I planted my feet where I was standing. Instead of immediately doing what I felt in my Spirit, I proceeded to argue with God. The argument would turn into bargaining, and sometimes I would throw out a compromise on how I thought that my idea of obedience was the better option. As you can imagine, that has never ended in my favor.
I vividly remember arguing with God one night at kids camp. As I was trying to go to sleep on the last night of camp, I felt like God asked me to send a simple text to someone - “don’t let something temporary keep you from someone eternal.” It was a text that would have taken less than five seconds to type…but did I do it? No. Instead, I spent the next little while praying for the person and their current situation and for God to intervene (as He was asking me to send that text..isn’t that an ironic prayer?). Each time I woke up during the night, I felt the same prompting! And each time, I said that I wasn’t going to do that, but instead I would pray.
After tossing and turning all night, I informed God that I had thought of a compromise. I would say the sentence during our last meeting at camp and make eye contact with the person, so they would clearly know that I was talking to them. Every time I think back to that moment, I roll my eyes and want to kick myself! Who am I to throw out a compromise to God?! But that’s what I did.
Let’s read back over that quote: “Obedience isn’t optional.” It’s just not!
Is it always easy? No!
Is it uncomfortable? Almost always, yes!
Is it necessary? Absolutely!
“Obedience isn’t optional!”
Let’s look at what Samuel told Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22, “But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.”
Saul had also offered God a compromise. After being told to completely annihilate the Amalekites, he spared the life of the king and the best of the animals - “everything, in fact, that appealed to them” (1 Samuel 15:9). God was so angry that He rejected Saul as king!
Again, our obedience isn’t something that we get to offer to God when it’s convenient or when we like the outcome. Our obedience is something that we should give Him fully every minute of every day.
I came across this quote as I was reading my devotional for this year, "Suffering is not the worst thing that can happen to us. Disobedience to God is the worst thing.” I want to invite you to join me this year, as I surrender my will to God! I don’t want to look back on 2026 and roll my eyes and want to kick myself, like that memory from kids camp!
Will it be easy? No.
Will we be uncomfortable? Almost always, yes!
Is it necessary? It is!
But, will it be worth it in the end? Absolutely!!
Because, my friend, “obedience isn’t optional”!
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