When Almost Isn't Enough
“Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” – Romans 2:4
Partial obedience is easier to live with. It lets us feel spiritual without letting go of control. We do most of what God asks. We obey the parts that make sense, that fit our plans, that don’t hurt too much. But deep down, we know what this is. It’s not surrender. It’s self-preservation dressed up as faith.
Saul learned this the hard way. God gave him clear instructions. Destroy everything connected to the Amalekites, leaving no room for their violence and evil to resurface. Saul obeyed… sort of. He spared the king. He kept the best livestock. He convinced himself that selective obedience was still faithfulness.
But God saw it differently. Through the prophet Samuel, He made it painfully clear. Partial obedience is full rebellion.
Why? Because obedience is not about task completion. It’s about trust. When we hold onto pieces of what God asked us to release, we are saying we know better. We’re deciding which parts of God’s authority we agree with and which ones we will ignore. That’s not obedience. That’s negotiation.
True obedience is not convenient. It costs something. But it also frees us from the burden of trying to control outcomes. It invites us into a deeper kind of rest, where faith becomes more than belief—it becomes trust lived out loud.
Reflection Question
What is one area in your life where you’ve been obeying God halfway? What would it look like to surrender fully?
God is not looking for impressive efforts. He is looking for surrendered hearts. Almost obedience is still disobedience.
Prayer
Lord, I don’t want to give You pieces of my obedience. I want to give You all of me. Show me where I’ve been holding back. Help me trust that full surrender leads to full freedom. Amen.
Partial obedience is easier to live with. It lets us feel spiritual without letting go of control. We do most of what God asks. We obey the parts that make sense, that fit our plans, that don’t hurt too much. But deep down, we know what this is. It’s not surrender. It’s self-preservation dressed up as faith.
Saul learned this the hard way. God gave him clear instructions. Destroy everything connected to the Amalekites, leaving no room for their violence and evil to resurface. Saul obeyed… sort of. He spared the king. He kept the best livestock. He convinced himself that selective obedience was still faithfulness.
But God saw it differently. Through the prophet Samuel, He made it painfully clear. Partial obedience is full rebellion.
Why? Because obedience is not about task completion. It’s about trust. When we hold onto pieces of what God asked us to release, we are saying we know better. We’re deciding which parts of God’s authority we agree with and which ones we will ignore. That’s not obedience. That’s negotiation.
True obedience is not convenient. It costs something. But it also frees us from the burden of trying to control outcomes. It invites us into a deeper kind of rest, where faith becomes more than belief—it becomes trust lived out loud.
Reflection Question
What is one area in your life where you’ve been obeying God halfway? What would it look like to surrender fully?
God is not looking for impressive efforts. He is looking for surrendered hearts. Almost obedience is still disobedience.
Prayer
Lord, I don’t want to give You pieces of my obedience. I want to give You all of me. Show me where I’ve been holding back. Help me trust that full surrender leads to full freedom. Amen.
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