God Gives Instructions, Not Explanations: Walking in Faith When You Don't Understand

Walking by faith means following God's instructions without always receiving complete explanations. When God speaks, He provides direction and expects obedience rather than offering detailed justifications for His commands.

• Biblical examples like Noah, Abraham, and Moses followed divine instructions without understanding the full picture
• True godly instructions align with scripture and bring peace, not fear or manipulation
• Discerning God's voice requires testing instructions against His word and character 
• God looks at our heart posture more than the size of our contribution or action
• Taking steps of faith often means doing something despite fear or uncertainty
• Stepping out in faith for business, ministry, or personal growth requires trusting God's plan
• When you're the daughter of the King, you have everything needed to fulfill His purpose

Remember you are not just a mom, worker, or caretaker - you are God's daughter with unique gifts and purpose. Take that leap of faith today, even if you don't see the full picture yet.

Resources Mentioned:

SHEs BOLD Women's Conference: grab your ticket!

EmpowerHer Purpose Program

Interested on coaching but still not sure? Grab your free copy of:
EmpowerHer Purpose Guide

MAMI on a Mission LLC: info@mamionamission.com

Grab your Copy of my book MAMI on a Mission - A Guide Towards Healing, Self-Discovery and Walking in Confidence

Amiga, Ready to Read Your Bible? Join the Group Today!

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to Mommy on a Mission
• 2:13 God Gives Instructions, Not Explanations
• 6:48 Biblical Examples of Faith-Based Obedience
• 11:39 True Giving vs. Manipulation
• 17:17 Recognizing God's Voice and Instructions
• 22:12 Overcoming Fear to Follow God's Call
• 27:11 Prayer and Final Encouragement

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Good morning and welcome back to another episode of Mommy on a Mission. This is your host, mariana, and today we are going to talk about a subject that will drop some powerful truths. God doesn't give explanation explanation, sorry. He gives instructions. Now, that alone can preach right. But don't worry, I'm going to break it all down for you with scripture, real life examples and a little bit of coaching to help you navigate those moments when you're waiting for explanations instead of stepping into obedience. Plus, we've got some announcements you don't want to miss, so stay tuned, grab yourself a cafecito and let's get started.

Speaker 1: 0:53

Welcome to the Mommy on a Mission podcast. I'm Mariana, your host and the number one bestselling author of Mommy on a Mission a guide towards healing, self-discovery and walking in confidence. As a dedicated life coach, wife, mom yaya and, most importantly, daughter of the king, I am passionate about empowering multi-faceted women just like you. In each episode, we dive deep into transformative topics that help you reignite your passion and purpose. My unique approach is designed to help you overcome the fear of external expectations and create the space and time you need for both increased job satisfaction and personal growth. Join me on this journey of self-discovery and empowerment, as we explore practical strategies, inspiring stories and actionable insights. Together, we'll navigate the complexities of life and emerge stronger, more confident and truly aligned with our deepest desires. Welcome to the Mom in a Mission podcast, your go-to resource for living a more purposeful and fulfilling life. So grab your Tazza cafe y vamos a platicar and let's talk.

Speaker 1: 2:07

Okay, so let's get started with this foundational truth when God speaks, he gives directions, not a detailed itinerary. He requires faith, not full understanding. You know, and I'm someone that, quite frankly, although I do have itineraries, I'm not as detailed, right, I'm that type of person that, like I always say, I'm gone with the wind, it's wherever the wind takes me, whereas my husband is a complete opposite. He has to plan, he has to have schedules, he has to have I mean, like literally a detailed itinerary, and I don't, and that is what we're going to talk about. We're going to talk about how he requires requires us to have full faith in him and trusting in him, and not full understanding of what he has for us. So let's look at some biblical examples. So we're going to talk a little bit about Noah.

Speaker 1: 3:16

So Noah is in the book of Genesis, chapter six, and God told Noah to build an ark. And God told Noah to build an ark. Did he explain every single reason why? Nope, he just gave the blueprint and expected obedience. Noah had never seen rain before, yet he followed God's instructions with faith, despite the ridicule of others. So imagine this you are given instructions to create a huge ark, a boat right, and you live out in the desert. You've never seen rain at all, ever, ever. It's dry right, and you're being told to create something. And you're being told to create something that will look insane to others, because they're like what are you doing, man? Like there's no rain, we've never had rain. Like why are you building a boat? Like, if you want to build a boat, go by the ocean, right, but not here. But he didn't care what they were saying to him. He had full faith in God and, despite all of that, he still built the ark. And so what we know and what we've learned later on is that God ended up flooding the area for 40 days and it destroyed people, but yet he didn't know when it was going to happen. He didn't know how it was going to happen, but what he knew was that he needed to be prepared for it.

Speaker 1: 4:57

Another character that comes into mind is Abraham, who's also in the book of Genesis. And God told Abraham go to the land. I will show you no GPS, no trip itinerary, just go. And Abraham left everything familiar, without questioning how it would all work out, trusting that God's promises would be fulfilled. God's promises would be fulfilled. Now that's crazy. That's crazy because God told him to go to this place and he didn't know where he was going. But God was telling him to go and he said don't question me, don't ask, don't do anything, Just trust in me. Don't do anything, just trust in me. It's hard for me to do that because and most of us find it difficult like, can you imagine leaving everything and going off somewhere that you have? And, in matter of fact, I actually got to experience a little bit about that, right. How I ended up in Oklahoma City all those years ago, I have no idea, because Oklahoma City was not in my radar, but God knew that I needed to be in Oklahoma City. God knew that something was going to happen in Oklahoma City. I didn't know what that was, I didn't know what that looked like, right, but God knew. And now, looking back all of those years, I see why I needed to be there. That is where God met me and started to heal my life, and that is when the transformation began. I didn't know it then, but now I see it, and I see where God has fulfilled his promises for my life.

Speaker 1: 6:55

What about Moses? God told Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand freedom for the Israelites. No logistics were given, just an assignment, and Moses, feeling inadequate, tried to reason with God, but God reassured him that he would be with him. Moses had to step forward in faith before seeing the miracle unfold. And then what do we learn? Later? We learn that God was with Moses and he delivered them out of Egypt. God even split the Red Sea and made it like two walls of water so that they could pass through, and when Pharaoh and the Egyptians were charging after them, god flooded them. So God's instructions are designed to stretch our faith and build our trust in him. If he explained everything up front, we wouldn't need to walk by faith, right?

Speaker 1: 8:04

So now let's get into this situation that has been making waves. Honestly, it's quite funny, but there was a church where the pastor instructed the ushers to lock the doors and told the congregation that no one was leaving until they gave $20. So he was asking those that were in the congregation was about a thousand that he wanted to. He wanted each and every one of them to give $20. So he was asking those that were in the congregation was about a thousand that he wanted to. He wanted each and every one of them to give $20. On top of that, he was asking online viewers to also give 20,000. He was asking for a thousand viewers to give 20,000, I mean $20. And he was asking for those in the church to give $20, totaling $40,000. But he asked the ushers to close the doors and not let anyone out.

Speaker 1: 9:00

I don't know about y'all, but I'm pretty sure that's not biblical, like it's not the biblical definition of giving right. But let's see what the Bible actually says. It says each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. So who was that written to? The apostle? Paul wrote this to the believers in Corinth, encouraging them to give generously and willingly to support the struggle Christians in Jerusalem. He emphasized that giving should come from the heart, not from pressure or obligation. In Luke 638 says give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. So who was Jesus speaking to? Was Jesus speaking to? This was part of his sermon on the plane, directed at his disciples and the crowd, teaching them about generosity and how God blesses those who give sincerely.

Speaker 1: 10:17

God's instructions on giving come from a place of love and willingness, not pressure or coercion. Man will often to a scripture for personal gain, but we need to have discernment right. So, yes, although there's gonna be some instructions that are given, but if they're not given by God, and many people will argue and say, well, maybe God was speaking to him and told him to close the doors, let me tell y'all something If you believe that, then you will believe that a rock is soft. I don't know something outrageous, right? If you believe that? Now you could say you could also argue the point well, noah was given instructions about him. People were telling him that he was crazy, okay, but there's a difference, and the difference is is that god directly spoke to I mean, I'm sorry to abraham? God spoke. Oh, my god, I'm getting, uh, these mixed noah, I tell you I think I need my coffee. Hold on y'all, let me. Let me sip my coffee because my brain is all over the place. When he gave Noah the instructions to build that ark again, people were calling him crazy, but what this person was doing Was forcing people to give for his own personal agenda. You may not agree with me, but I will say this that if that was coming from a place of God, there would be no need to have the doors closed. People would willingly give why? Because they would trust and believe by faith that this was coming of God or that this was coming from God.

Speaker 1: 12:14

Let me pause here for a moment because I would like to give a shout out to the Book Publishing Academy, the official sponsor of she's Bold Women's Conference happening May 2nd. So let me ask this Amiga, have you ever wanted to share your story but didn't know where to start? Or have you ever dreamed of becoming a published author and struggled with finding someone to publish you? Well, the Book Publishing Academy is your go-to if you desire is to become a self-published author. Janine Hernandez, the founder of the Book Publishing Academy, has created modules that break it down step by step on how to successfully self-publish your books. She also has a Facebook group where you can be part of a community of self-published authors, gain accountability and build connections to help you get started. So what are you waiting for? Reach out to the Book Publishing Academy at wwwjaninehernandezcom and let her know that Mariana sent you. The Book Publishing Academy is an official sponsor of she's Bold Women's Conference. All right, so let's break this down into practical tips.

Speaker 1: 13:26

Here's how you can recognize God's voice and his true instructions. God's instructions align with his word. If it contradicts the Bible, it's not from him. This means that any direction or teaching you receive must be tested against scripture. If it doesn't match God's word, it's not from him, no matter how convincing it sounds. If it doesn't match God's word, it's not from him, no matter how convincing it sounds.

Speaker 1: 13:53

God's instructions bring peace, not fear or manipulation. He may challenge and stretch you, but he won't use tactics of fear, guilt or manipulation. If you feel pressured, afraid or manipulated into making a decision, that's a red flag that it's not from God. Okay, I have been in a marriage where there was fear, there was guilt and manipulation, where I felt pressure to continue to be in this ongoing battle of domestic violence, of seeing a spouse's life go through down the drain because of a drug addiction. I've seen that and I can tell you that that was not a God. I was not to be following him because he was manipulating me and using fear tactics to manipulate me. Okay, those were all red flags even from the beginning, but I chose to ignore them. But when God started to reveal things to me and showing me and removing the blinder from my eyes, then I could truly see where God was in the midst.

Speaker 1: 15:09

God looks at the heart, not the amount. Your obedience in giving and in following his will is about your heart posture, not the size of the contribution. God values faithfulness and sincerity over the quantity of what you give or do. So many people and I know a lot of you probably are going to hear this and you're probably going to be upset with me about this, but let me say this Just because a person appears or seems to be a good person and does all kinds of things that look and appear good, okay. All kinds of things that look and appear good, okay. But if they are not believers in Christ, if they are not following Jesus Christ and if or she is operating from a position of self, many people in this world could appear to be doing very good and could appear to be doing a lot of great things and contribute in all of these things, and they probably do have a good heart. But if they are not believers in Christ, then that is not. It's not the heart position is not for God, it's for themselves. That is not to say that God is not going to use those things and make it for good, because he will, because that's the kind of God that we have. But we have to be mindful and pay attention to those things, because not everyone that appears good is good, if that makes sense.

Speaker 1: 17:05

So I've got a question for you have you ever struggled with trusting God's instructions? What's one area where he's asking you to step out in faith right now? And I want you to take a moment and journal on this, because there has been many areas in my life where I have struggled with God's instructions, areas in my life where I have struggled with God's instructions. One of those areas is just was stepping out in faith, and starting this business was stepping out in faith and hosting my very first women's conference that he placed on my heart to do, on my heart to do. There's been a lot of things in my life where I struggled to step out in faith. But I did, I did. I was afraid. I was just scared. I didn't know what was going to happen or what the outcome was going to be. But what I did know was that I needed to do it. And now I look back and I just see everything that I have been able to accomplish.

Speaker 1: 18:22

And I wasn't alone, because God plays people in my life. God was in every step of the way and, yes, it was challenging. Yes, it was hard. Yes, I've cried out to God like, are you sure that I'm the one that's supposed to be doing this? And I could feel that peace in my heart that said yes, yes.

Speaker 1: 18:47

So have y'all ever been in a situation where you're asking God for a full-on, like powerpoint presentation of your life? And he's just like go. I imagine Noah saying Lord, you want me to build? What a boat in the middle of dry land for a storm I've never seen before. And god just nods like yep or abraham telling his wife babe, pack up the tent, we're moving. And when she asked where, he just shrugs his shoulders, I don't know, god said and he'll show us, wait. What my response would have been like okay, whatever. I guess God's instructions don't always make sense, but they always serve a purpose. They always serve a purpose.

Speaker 1: 19:42

So, no matter what you're going through in life, amiga, no matter what hardships you're facing, no matter what struggles you have maybe you feel like you're stuck, maybe you feel like you're scared to take a chance on yourself Trust God. Trust that God is going to give you all of the things that you need, all the tools and the resources. He's going to place the people in your life. Yes, people are there, are going to be people out there. That's not. That's not going to believe in you. That may think that it's dumb, that it's a dumb idea or whatever, but God's not speaking to those people. God is speaking to you, and the people that he places in your life are the people that are going to help you get to where you need to get, because, make no mistake, god makes no mistakes.

Speaker 1: 20:36

There's a character in the Bible Gideon. Gideon was like. He kept questioning and asking God, like, are you sure? Like, give me a sign, I need to be reassured, all of those things, and yes, a lot of times we're going to have that right. We're going to want that reassurance. We wanna know that this is really truly what God wants for us.

Speaker 1: 20:56

And if you're gonna do it, do it afraid, because the worst thing about not doing is never knowing if you could, if you stop yourself, if you convince yourself, if you stop and think long enough, you'll convince yourself not to do something. And most of the times we don't accomplish what we want to accomplish because we allow for fear to take over, we allow for others to convince us not to, we allow for others to convince us not to, we allow for all of that negativity to feed into what we're already feeling. But imagine if you didn't listen, if you didn't listen to that voice of fear, if you didn't listen to those people who are negative around you, if you didn't listen to those people who are negative around you, if you didn't listen. I would say ask instead of what if? And ask why not? Why not you? What's the worst thing that could happen? Because if it's from God, what is the worst thing that can happen?

Speaker 1: 22:15

Right, I always say, if I take a chance and I go and ask let's just say, for example, ask for a promotion the worst that can happen is what they say no, you're scared. Yeah, you're afraid to speak and advocate for yourself. You know it's easier to advocate for someone else than to advocate for yourself. Do you know, it's easy to promote a company that you work for than your very own company. And I say that because I experienced that it's easy for me to speak about an organization that I work for. I can go and speak about it and sell it and all these kinds of things.

Speaker 1: 22:54

But when it comes to mommy on a mission, it's the most scariest thing, because I and I'm gonna be transparent and I'm gonna be honest, because there are moments in my life that I feel like nobody's gonna care about my business, nobody's gonna care about this but me. But I cannot allow for fear to do that. I've got to trust that God gave me a voice to speak. I've got to use my gifts, my talents that I do for other businesses to do it for my very own business that God has blessed me and God has called me to do. Because Mommy on a Mission is something that God used me, from my life experience, to share with other women, to share with people like you, amiga, that have faced adversities, that have gone through some traumatic things in your lives and now that you are trying to gain your strength and that speed and stuff. Now the next step is how do I turn all of that around and get myself on track to be on a mission, to accomplish the goals that I had set aside? And that's why Mommy on a Mission is here, that's why I have this podcast, that's why I wrote my book and that's why I have this podcast. That's why I wrote my book and that's why I have coaching sessions. Why? Because I know. I know that God is using all of this to speak to you right now.

Speaker 1: 24:22

Right now, you're probably sitting wondering is there any purpose in my life? The answer is yes. Is there any purpose in my life? The answer is yes. Perhaps you're thinking about starting a business, but you're like I don't know if I can do this. Well, you know what you don't know. You won't know unless you try, because if you don't try, then you've already answered your own question that it's not going to work. But you'll never know. You'll always live with that. What if? But how about if we change that? What if? To? Yes, I can, this will happen. And you need that push, because I mean you can accomplish whatever it is God has placed on your heart to accomplish.

Speaker 1: 25:11

You are not just a mom, you are not just a daughter, a sister. You are not just a worker, you are not just a Tia, whatever. You are not just a. You are who God has called you to be. And let me remind you, amiga, you are the daughter of the king, which makes you what. It makes you a princess, it makes you God's daughter. And when you are the daughter of the king, then you have everything you need. Then you have everything you need.

Speaker 1: 25:53

I'm preaching today, y'all, and that was not my intention. My intention was not to preach today, but God has placed it in my heart to speak to you because I think you need to hear that, because I think you need to hear that he loves you and that he wants nothing but the best for you, just like you would want that for someone else. He wants you to shine, but he also wants you to glorify him and show people how good God is. And yes, you're probably living with pain. You're probably, you know, maybe you have experienced loss, maybe you haven't been able to grieve, maybe you haven't been able to yell, maybe you haven't been able to escape that abuser. Whatever it is, amiga, god has you and he has a plan for you. I know that you don't know what that is yet, but trust me, he's got a plan for you. Trust in him. Trust in him.

Speaker 1: 27:07

Let me pray, father God, in the name of Jesus, I'm speaking to my Amina right now. Father God, whatever it is that she is going through, father God, show it to her. Demonstrate to her, father God, what plan you have for her at this moment. Father God, let her feel and believe in herself, father God, that she has the strength to walk away from what is causing her pain and hurt. Show her, father God, that you have given her the intelligence, the will and the ability and the gifts and the talents, father God, to carry out the thing that she desires to carry out. Maybe that's a business, maybe it's writing a book, maybe it's speaking in front of people, maybe it's that promotion, maybe it's the money that she's looking for, father God, whatever it is, father God, remind her that you have already planned it all out for her.

Speaker 1: 28:02

She just needs to be obedient, father God. Father God, allow for her to hear your voice, allow for her to take action, even though she's afraid. But your word clearly states do not fear, be strong and courageous. Your word also says be anxious over nothing but in prayer and supplication, make your request known to me. And so, father God, I'm praying for my and I'm praying for my amiga.

Speaker 1: 28:37

Father God, the one that feels like she is lost, the one that feels like she's stuck, the one that feels like she has no motivation, the one that feels like that she there's nothing else for her, that she's all she feels like is she's on survival mode right now. Father God, I pray that you will release her from those chains and give her the strength to move forward. I thank you, father God. I pray for her finances. I pray over her life, father God, I pray for her family. I pray for her children. I pray for her. If she's single, I pray for her. Father God, I lift her up to you, the Amiga that's listening to right now. Father God, I pray for her right now In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Speaker 1: 29:28

Amiga, thank you so much for tuning in to Mommy on a Mission. If this episode blessed, you, share it with a friend. Let's keep walking in faith, trusting God's instructions and living victoriously. And until next time, stay bold, stay faithful and stay on mission. See y'all next Saturday. See y'all next Saturday. Dive deeper into healing, self-discovery and walking in confidence. Be sure to grab a copy of my book Mommy on a Mission a guide towards healing self-discovery and walking in confidence, available now on Amazon. Stay connected with me on social media. Follow us on Instagram at Mommy on a Mission Podcast, and on Facebook at Mommy on a Mission. If you're considering working with a coach but aren't sure if you're ready, send me a DM and I will send you a free gift to help you get started on your journey. Until next Saturday, keep shining and remember the tower is within you. Adios, amigas.