God Working in Us unto Obedience
Guided from within—trusting the voice that leads the way.
Devotional Credit: Day by Day by Grace by Bob Hoekstra
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Today’s reading from Bob Hoekstra reminds us that God never calls us to live the Christian life in our own effort—but neither does He call us to passivity. He calls us to cooperation with His indwelling work. Paul’s exhortation to “work out your own salvation” is not a contradiction of grace, but rather a call to respond with reverent awe to the God who is actively at work within us.
This “working out” is never about earning salvation—it is about expressing what we already possess. Salvation is the free gift of God, but its beauty becomes visible as we trust God to express His life through us in practical obedience. The awe and trembling come not from fear of failure, but from recognizing the holy privilege of being the dwelling place of God Himself.
The devotional highlights that this process of growing in obedience is entirely dependent on God working in us—giving both the desire and the ability to obey. We are not expected to drum up motivation or manufacture goodness. We are vessels, being shaped from within by a living God who writes His will on our hearts and empowers us to live it out. The result is not religious performance, but an authentic life that pleases Him because it originates from Him.
✍🏼 Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I am not standing above you, demanding obedience from a distance. I am living within you, stirring your heart toward My will and supplying all you need to walk in it. The desire you now feel to walk in My ways—that is My doing. The power you experience to take a step in faith—that, too, is Mine.
You were never asked to generate your own spiritual momentum. I placed My Spirit in you to move you from within. My Word is written not on stone tablets but on your heart of flesh. What once felt burdensome is now becoming your joy, because I have made you a new creation. Your obedience is not born of striving—it is the overflow of surrender.
When you tremble with inadequacy, I remind you that I am sufficient. When reverent awe fills your soul, you are right to marvel—for it is I who work in you, shaping your will and empowering your doing. I take pleasure not in your effort, but in your yieldedness. I do not ask you to measure up—I ask you to abide. In the quiet space of trust, My life unfolds through yours.
Let Me do what pleases Me through you. Let Me form the yes in your heart and bring it to completion with My strength. This is how salvation, already yours, becomes visible in your life—a testimony written not in ink, but in the ink of eternity.
Scriptures referenced: Philippians 2:12–13; Luke 6:46; Matthew 28:20; Ephesians 2:8–9; Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3
🧺 Real-Life Analogy
It’s like setting a GPS before a drive. You don’t need to map out every turn or stress over the route—you simply trust the voice that speaks from within the car. You may still grip the wheel and press the pedals, but it’s that quiet guidance that gets you there. You’re driving, but you’re not the guide.
🙏🏼 Prayer of Confidence
Father, I rejoice that I am not left to chart my own course or strive to produce a life that pleases You. Thank You for working in me both to will and to do of Your good pleasure. What a joy to know that You are not asking for self-generated obedience, but inviting me to trust Your life within. Today, I rest in that truth—confident that Your Spirit will shape both my desires and my steps. I yield joyfully, knowing that You are faithful to complete what You have begun.