Written By: Dr. Shay Barrington
[In Part 1, I wrestled with the gap between loving God and obeying Him, wondering what my failures said about my love. In Part 2, Dr. Shay Barrington reframes obedience as joy, not burden. Her Scripture-soaked words offer a hopeful way forward. Please enjoy.]
We talk about obedience a lot in the Christian life, but somewhere along the way, that word started carrying more weight than it should. For some, it’s almost like a set of rules stacked high. For others, it feels like a test we’re always on the edge of failing.
But maybe we’ve seen it all wrong. What if obedience isn’t a chain, but love? Not cold duty but the joyful response of a heart that belongs to God.
That’s what I want to explore today. I want us to see obedience the way Heaven does—as love in action.
Heaven never measures obedience by how well we perform rules. The measure is love.
Real obedience isn’t lifeless. It’s alive. It rises out of a heart reshaped by grace. And where there’s love, obedience just follows.
Jesus’ words are clear, but they go deeper than we sometimes realize: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
That wasn’t a warning. It wasn’t meant to threaten anyone into submission. It was an invitation. He was calling for love so real, it would transform how His followers lived.
Love is the root. Obedience is the fruit.
We see it in everyday life. A child who loves their parent doesn’t groan when asked to help. They run. They do it gladly. Their service isn’t sour, it’s sweet. Because when you love someone, serving them doesn’t feel like a burden.
That’s the obedience Heaven values: the devotion of a son or daughter.
Somewhere along the way, we lose sight of that. We start thinking obedience is a test we can’t afford to fail, instead of the language of a love we already live in.
Think of the Pharisees. They knew every law word for word. They had ceremonies down to the smallest detail. But they missed the heart of the Lawgiver. Without love, obedience becomes hollow.
God has never wanted lifeless formality. He wants obedience that flows out of love.
Look at Abraham, Moses, and Mary. Abraham walked away from everything familiar because he trusted the One who called him. Moses stood before Pharaoh because his love for God outweighed the treasures of Egypt. Mary bowed her head to the angel’s words because her love for the Lord was stronger than her fear of the unknown.
Their obedience wasn’t dry duty. It was love in motion.
And love will always cost something.
It asks us to put our own will down. It leads us places others may not understand. But when love is the reason, even the hardest obedience feels light.
Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and Scripture says those years “seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.” Love changes the weight of the work.
Sometimes obedience will take everything we have. But if we love Him, we wouldn’t choose any other way.
That’s what turns obedience from a task into a joy. The Sabbath stops feeling like an obligation and becomes a delight. Self-denial stops looking like loss and starts looking like freedom. Holiness stops being a grim standard and becomes the privilege of reflecting His character.
Jesus is the perfect example. His obedience was never mechanical. He delighted in doing His Father’s will. Even in Gethsemane, under the crushing weight of the world’s sin, He prayed, “Not My will, but Yours be done.” That was obedience in its purest form—born of a love so deep, there was no other choice.
And this is where we need to pause. Why do we obey? Is it fear of punishment? Is it to look good in front of others? Or is it because we love Him more than anything else?
Fear won’t keep us when obedience gets costly. It won’t hold us steady for a lifetime. But love will. Love will follow Christ through storms, losses, and the long, dark nights when obedience feels hard.
And here’s the beauty, God never asks us to do this in our own strength. Love grows the more we see His love for us. The more we look at the cross, the more our hearts are drawn. And when our hearts are drawn, obedience becomes joy.
That’s why the psalmist could say, “I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.” Delight and duty meet when love leads.
In the end, Heaven won’t be full of people who just checked boxes. It will be full of people who loved God so much that obedience was simply their way of saying, “I love You too.”
May we choose to walk that way now, with joy. Because every act of obedience is another way to return His love.
Obedience, in the Kingdom, isn’t a chain. It’s the song of a heart set free.
And if obedience sings, love is the melody.
May our obedience rise like incense, not out of fear, but out of love. May each choice, each step, each sacrifice be our quiet way of saying, “I love You too.”
When Heaven tells our story, may it be said that our obedience wasn’t born of duty, but of love—so real it couldn’t help but obey.
If this stirred something in you, pause for a moment today and tell Him you love Him. Then, live it in the choices that follow.
With Love, Shay Barrington
[Editor’s Note: I’m deeply grateful to Dr. Shay Barrington for lending her voice to this conversation. Her words reminded me that obedience is not about fear or failure, but about a love so deep, it naturally overflows into action. I hope her reflection brought the same encouragement to you that it did to me.]
Dr. Shay Barrington is a passionate Bible researcher, speaker, poet, and author with a heart for biblical truth. As founder of Sowing Seeds Digital Ministry, Dr. Shay writes with purpose and compassion, encouraging believers to seek a better walk with God. Her writing reflects years of study, prayers, and experience with personal trials, which she often writes about, making her a relatable voice.
You can follow her insights on X at:
@DrShayPhD
Let me know what you think.