Kingdom Minded: Choosing God’s Work When Obedience Gets Hard (Podcast Season 2, Episode 2)
Have you ever noticed how following God feels clear and exciting at first… and then somewhere along the way, it just gets hard?
Not sinful hard. Not rebellious hard. Just… weary hard.
That’s exactly where this episode meets us.
This post is a companion to Season 2, Episode 2 of the Makin’ Macon: Encouragement in Chaos podcast. In this episode, we take a deeper look at what happens when obedience runs into resistance… and how easy it is to shift our focus without even realizing it.
You can listen to the full episode right here:
When Obedience Meets Resistance
Living for God is not always easy.
Not because He stops being faithful. Not because His Word stops being true. But because obedience often runs straight into resistance.
That’s exactly what we see in the book of Haggai.
God’s people had returned from exile just like He asked them to. They began rebuilding the temple. They were doing what they were supposed to do.
But then opposition came.
Fear crept in. Discouragement followed. And slowly, almost without noticing it, the work stopped.
The Subtle Shift
What makes this story so relatable is that they didn’t turn away from God completely.
They simply shifted their focus.
Instead of continuing the work, they turned inward. They focused on their homes, their comfort, and their sense of stability. They told themselves, “The time has not come.”
Not never… just not now.
And if we’re being honest, that’s where many of us find ourselves.
When things get hard, when resistance feels heavy, it becomes easier to focus on what feels manageable… our routines, our responsibilities, the things we can control.
There’s nothing wrong with caring for your home or your family. God never rebuked them for that.
The issue was priority.
God’s house was neglected while personal comfort was protected.
“Consider Your Ways”
One of the most powerful moments in Haggai is when God speaks to His people and simply says, “Consider your ways.”
He wasn’t yelling. He wasn’t condemning. He was calling them to pause and look honestly at where their time, energy, and focus had gone.
And that same question applies to us today.
Where has resistance caused us to pull back?
Where has fear quietly redirected our focus?
Where have we labeled something as “waiting on God” when it may actually be retreat?
When Tiredness Shifts Our Focus
One of the hardest parts of walking with God is learning how to stay focused when we’re tired.
Because tiredness doesn’t just affect our bodies… it affects our perspective.
When we’re weary, we become more vulnerable to distraction, more drawn to comfort, and more likely to choose what feels safe over what requires faith.
And the enemy doesn’t always try to pull us into obvious sin.
Sometimes he simply tries to wear us down.
He presses on our schedules, our finances, our families, and our peace until obedience starts to feel overwhelming.
God’s Answer to Fear
God’s response in Haggai is simple, but powerful:
“My Spirit remains among you. Fear ye not.” — Haggai 2:4–5 (KJV)
God wasn’t asking them to rebuild in their own strength. He was reminding them that His presence had never left.
And the same is true for us.
We are not called to carry the weight of obedience alone. We are called to trust the One who is with us.
Choosing Kingdom Over Comfort
There’s a tension here that we all feel… the pull toward comfort and the call toward obedience.
The desire for stability… and the invitation to trust God fully.
Jesus made it clear that Kingdom work would require something from us. Not just when it’s easy. Not just when it fits into our schedule. But even when it stretches us.
Because what God is building is always greater than what we would build on our own.
The Promise That Keeps Us Moving
God gives His people a promise in Haggai that still speaks today:
“The latter glory of this house shall be greater than of the former…” — Haggai 2:9 (KJV)
In other words… what He is doing now will be greater than what has been.
But it requires something from us.
It requires that we keep going, that we don’t retreat when it gets hard, and that we don’t trade obedience for comfort.
A Gentle Heart Check
If this stirred something in you, take a moment to sit with the Lord.
Not in guilt. Not in pressure. But in honesty.
Ask Him to show you where your focus has been. Ask Him to help you discern the difference between rest and retreat.
Because sometimes obedience looks like slowing down… and sometimes it looks like pressing through.
And learning the difference is where growth happens.
Let’s Stay Connected
If this post encouraged you, I’d love for you to share it with someone who may need it too.
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And remember, I’m always praying for you, even if I don’t know who you are.
