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When Obedience feels Heavy

Sermon by Pastor Wang Guanghan at the Faith Community Baptist Church on 8th Nov 2025. For the full service, including worship, click here



Background

We are all called to obey - to pray, to believe in a breakthrough, to serve. But sometimes, we feel tired and it is at those moment, obedience being to feel heavy and we want to give up. 

Scripture: 

1 Samuel 2:1-10 talks about David (after he killed Goliath and before the came king) in Ziklag. His city was completely destroyed and his family was taken captive. His people are thinking of stoning him. He become distressed and he continued on... 

How do we keep obeying when obedience feels heavy?

1. Surface the cause

David reached Ziklag on the 3rd day. He was physically tired. He was mentally overloaded when he saw rhe city destroyed.  He cried until he collapsed. 

David experienced the following in these 
  • Physical exhaustion
  • Mentally overwhelmed
  • Emotionally drained 
  • Relational pain
  • Spiritual shaking

We have to honest of what weighs us down. 

2. Seek out God


When obedience feels heavy, sometimes we cannot find God. We have go and seek out God. When at his wit's end, when he feels like withdrawing, David went looking and found strength in the Lord his God. He paused and sought God for direction. 

The most important is not to do what I want, but to wait and hear what God wants....

3. Serve God and others 

The end goal is not just to make us feel better after recovery, but to gain strength to serve again. After being down, David gathered 600 men and pursued his enemies.  He  continued to serve not because he was strong but because he was weak and going with God's strength. 

We all have issues - with family, with our spouse and children, with finances, with our business, with health. When we are down,  and still show up and serve, it encourages others to keep on going. We must always look outward.



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