"Obligation"

"But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that opened not his mouth." (Psalms 38:13) There really is a certain amount of discipline required in order to remain silent and not try and defend yourself, it is not something that comes natural, that's for sure. When it comes to trusting God and walking by faith, we are pretty much obligated to a certain degree by the example of Jesus Christ before those that were judging and going to execute Him, as He fulfilled the prophecy about His own death (Isaiah 53:7). Having first hand knowledge of what comes next always helps, but isn't that what faith is really all about? We can always talk a good line about our trust in God, and about having faith through every situation; but it only really counts when we are actually going through the fire of a trial, or the storm of a tribulation; besides that, they are merely words that pertain to a desire to do something, yet, desire can be altered by so many things. Much like the sun is what lights the moon, it is the Son of God that gives us His Light; and just as it is the world which blocks the sun's light from the moon, so to, the world can block His Light in us. And if you think about the testimony of our faith during a trial, then it becomes like a solar eclipse, where we can actually block His Light to the world, by letting ourselves get in the way. Although they might be rare, they always catch the attention of everyone, and people will try to watch as the eclipse happens; so to, a severe trial or a storm will also cause people to take notice of our lives; we just want to make sure that we do not block the Son from shinning, by putting ourselves in the way of what He wants to do through our circumstances... "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:7-9)