Knowing and Doing: It Matters

Have you ever known something you should do but didn’t? Maybe you rolled through a stop sign or nudged past the speed limit. We’ve all been there.

John 14:21 (NIV) - “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Reflection

Jesus speaks directly to this gap between knowing and doing. This message wasn’t just for the disciples sitting with Him. It’s for us too, right here, right now.

What Is Jesus Teaching Us?

Just before this verse, Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father. And Jesus replies with a response that we might translate today as, “Really, Philip? After everything you’ve seen and heard, you still don’t believe?”

While He didn’t say it that way exactly, you can feel His emotion. A mix of sadness, love, and maybe a little exasperation.

The truth is, we all have our Philip moments. We’ve seen God move in our lives. We’ve experienced grace, provision, and peace when we needed it most. And yet, we still hold back from fully trusting Him.

We’ve been given so much. The Ten Commandments. The stories of faith and failure. The teachings of Jesus. The letters that helped build the early church. We know the whole story, beginning to end, in a way the disciples didn’t at the time. But sometimes we still live as if God hasn’t proven Himself.

We give God the least of our time, even though He deserves the most.

So What Do We Do About It?

For me, the journey started a while ago. Life has a way of showing you your limits. You realize what you can control and what you can’t. That’s when trusting God becomes not just a good idea, but a lifeline.

Looking back, I see how I often brought God into my darkest moments, but the second things started looking up, I took control again. Each time, I had to surrender again. And again.

Sometimes I imagine God gently saying, “Brian, how many times must I show you that you can trust Me?”

Apparently, it took more than a few times.

But over time, things began to click. The dots connected. Now that I see the pattern, I want to do everything I can to keep the connection strong.

How About You?

Have you connected your dots? Are you giving your relationship with God the time and space it deserves?

Only you can answer that. But if you’re like me, maybe there’s room to grow. And if you do start giving God more of your time, more of your trust, you might just discover what I have. A deeper peace. A clearer purpose. And a stronger sense of who’s really in control.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You. Thank You for Your patience, Your presence, and Your love. Jesus, You are the way, the truth, and the life. Help us walk with You each day. Teach us to trust You more, to let go of control, and to make time for what truly matters. Please watch over our families and friends. Keep us close to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.