This is part of my year-long series exploring human-centered alternatives to the spiritual promises in Oswald Chambers’ classic devotional My Utmost for His Highest. Today’s entry, “After Obedience, What?” promises that believers who focus on present-moment obedience rather than future goals will see Jesus “walking on the chaos” of their lives, claiming that making obedience the goal rather than dwelling on outcomes will bring “absolute certainty that all is well” simply because they see Christ walking through their storms.
Here’s what trusting that present-moment obedience reveals Jesus walking on life’s chaos actually delivered:
“Don’t focus on outcomes,” Pastor Thompson counseled with spiritual certainty. “God’s purpose isn’t your success—it’s your dependence on Him right now. If you can stay calm and unperplexed in the middle of turmoil, you’ve reached God’s purpose. Make obedience the goal, not results, and you’ll see Jesus walking on the chaos of your life.”
Kevin had been facing bankruptcy after his small business collapsed during the economic downturn. The promise that focusing on present-moment obedience rather than future planning would reveal Jesus walking through his financial chaos seemed like the faith-filled response to overwhelming uncertainty.
Kevin desperately wanted to believe that spiritual dependence would bring divine presence in his crisis. Instead of focusing solely on practical financial recovery, debt negotiation, and career pivoting, he tried to stay “calm and unperplexed” through spiritual obedience, trusting that each moment of surrender would reveal Christ’s presence in his turmoil without needing to see specific outcomes.
For months, Kevin avoided strategic planning and refused to “dwell on the afterward,” believing that present-moment obedience was more important than future-focused problem-solving. When concerned friends suggested practical solutions like business counseling, career transition programs, or even temporary employment, he declined, convinced that focusing on results rather than spiritual dependence would prevent him from seeing Jesus walking on his chaotic circumstances.
But the promised divine presence through present-moment obedience was financial devastation disguised as spiritual surrender.
Kevin’s attempts to see Jesus walking on chaos through spiritual dependence created additional economic disaster on top of business failure. The absolute certainty that “all is well” which was supposed to come from present-focused obedience remained absent while his savings depleted and his home went into foreclosure. The precious moments of divine encounter that obedience-focused living was supposed to produce never materialized when he needed stability most.
Meanwhile, Kevin’s neighbor Luis approached his own business bankruptcy with zero expectation that spiritual surrender would reveal divine presence in chaos. When Luis faced similar financial collapse, he immediately sought business recovery counseling, explored career transition options, and focused entirely on evidence-based financial planning that prioritized practical outcomes over spiritual process.
Luis didn’t search for Jesus walking on his chaotic circumstances but treated business failure as an economic challenge requiring strategic planning and professional guidance. His recovery came through debt restructuring, skills retraining programs, and gradually rebuilding financial stability through sustained practical work rather than present-moment spiritual dependence.
When Kevin finally sought similar professional help, he discovered that healthy crisis navigation required understanding financial systems and career planning rather than trusting that present-moment obedience would reveal divine presence walking through chaos.
Where was Jesus walking on the chaos that present-moment obedience was supposed to reveal? Where was the absolute certainty that all is well which comes from seeing Christ in the storm regardless of outcomes?
The stability that actually helped came through accepting the necessity of strategic planning and focusing on evidence-based recovery strategies, not through believing that spiritual dependence in each moment would manifest divine presence in chaotic circumstances. The silence where Jesus was supposed to be walking revealed the truth: there was no divine figure moving through life’s storms to provide spiritual certainty.
Only economic systems and career challenges that required practical understanding and strategic intervention to navigate successfully.
Reflection Question: When has strategic planning and practical problem-solving been more effective than trusting that present-moment obedience reveals divine presence in chaos?
This story is part of my upcoming book “The Undevoted: Daily Departures from Divine Dependence,” which offers 365 human-centered alternatives to the spiritual certainties in Chambers’ devotional. Each day explores how reason, community, and human resilience can address life’s challenges without requiring divine intervention.
God or Delusion? 