Consistent Obedience – The Hidden Strength Behind Every Calling

The Battle After Courage: Consistency

Every business owner loves the thrill of a breakthrough—securing a major contract, launching a new service, or finally hiring that key employee. But in my experience, it’s not those milestone moments that define success.

It’s what happens after.

One owner I worked with had the vision and the drive. He talked a big game about growth. But his team was floundering—unclear roles, inconsistent training, delayed decisions. He didn’t lack courage. He lacked consistency.

When he finally embraced obedience—waking up each day and owning his role as a steward over the people and systems entrusted to him—things started to change. He began showing up to train, to delegate with clarity, to lead financial reviews with accountability. He began building a culture where operational excellence wasn’t aspirational—it was expected.

Obedience in business isn’t about being rigid. It’s about aligning your daily actions with the responsibility God’s already placed in your hands.

Inside this month’s LEADing Diligently newsletter:

✔ Why consistency is the quiet edge behind enduring success
✔ What Scripture teaches us about obedience vs. sacrifice
✔ How to recognize when you’re sacrificing instead of stewarding
✔ Simple practices to realign your decision-making with faithful consistency

Let’s dig in.

In our last edition, we talked about courageously stepping into your calling. But what happens after the bold step? That’s where many falter—because the next step is usually far less glamorous. It’s called obedience.

Obedience Isn’t Flashy - But It Is Foundational

In the life of a business owner, obedience doesn’t usually show up as a bold, defining moment. It looks more like choosing to be faithful in the ordinary—day in and day out.

It’s in the decision to slow down long enough to train your team the right way. To hold a weekly financial review even when cash flow feels tight. To keep honoring the standard when shortcuts would be easier.

Obedience is what builds cultures of excellence, trust, and long-term fruitfulness.

It’s not the high moment at a conference or a mountaintop decision. It’s what happens when you:

• Stick to the vision when it’s not convenient.

• Show up to lead your team when you're exhausted.

• Steward what’s in your hand when the outcome feels uncertain.

1 Samuel 15:22 reminds us:

In business, it’s tempting to “sacrifice” in visible ways:

• Long hours to impress

• Grand gestures to gain attention

• Pursuing growth to feel significant

Obedience says:

• I will do what God has shown me, even if it’s repetitive.

• I will lead my team with consistency—through the filter of my God-given calling, doing all in the name of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17).

• I will make decisions as a steward—serving my team, my clients, and my mission with the same diligence and intentionality I would hope to receive if I were in their shoes.

Because your calling isn’t proven by what you say yes to once—it’s proven in how you carry it forward every day.

Journaling Exercise - Three Reflection Questions:

1. Where in my business have I been opting for busyness or outward success instead of faithfully following through on what God has already made clear? (Busyness can feel productive—but obedience focuses on what actually moves the mission forward.)

2. What are the small decisions I’ve been neglecting that require consistent follow-through? (Obedience often lives in the little things—daily habits, follow-up conversations, and the commitments no one applauds.)

3. Am I approaching leadership with the mindset of a faithful steward—or falling into the trap of trying to control everything myself? (Leadership rooted in stewardship invites partnership—control isolates, but stewardship builds trust.)

Take Action

You don’t have to overhaul everything. You just need to obey in one area that matters.

Pick one part of your business—team leadership, customer follow-up, financial stewardship—and recommit to doing what you already know is right.

• Do the hard thing first. What’s one action you’ve been avoiding because it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable? Start there.

• Write it down. Call out the inconsistency. Acknowledge where obedience has taken a back seat.

• Pray about it. Invite God into the details. Obedience is a spiritual act, not just a task.

• Tell someone. Bring in a trusted voice to walk alongside you. Accountability keeps obedience from drifting into good intentions.

Start this week. Start today. Obedience doesn’t wait for ideal conditions.

Bible Scripture Reflection

Topic: Taking the Next Step of Faith, Even When You’re Afraid

1 Samuel 15:22 – "And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” KJV

This verse challenges our assumptions. God isn’t impressed by what we’re willing to give up if we’re unwilling to follow through on what He already said.

Obedience comes from the HEART.

Many leaders fall into the trap of thinking that sacrificing time, money, or comfort is the pinnacle of faithfulness. But Scripture reminds us: obedience is better. It's not just about what we surrender—it’s about whether we do what He’s asked from a heart of love.

Obedience means you show up when it’s hard. You lead when no one’s watching. You review the numbers even when they hurt. You forgive, follow up, and stay steady—not because it’s easy, but because it’s right.

God doesn’t measure faithfulness by scattered performance—He measures it by obedience from the heart in love with His Will for your life.

This verse isn’t just theological—it’s practical. It’s Monday-morning leadership. It’s running your company with integrity when shortcuts look faster. It’s training your people even when turnover makes it feel like a waste. It’s making the decision you know is right, even when it’s not popular.

Application - Let’s Put This To Practice

At LEAD Diligently, we believe obedience is the bridge between clarity and transformation. Growth happens when we choose to act—not just think—differently.

This month, take one intentional step in courageous obedience:

• Spiritually – Revisit a past word, prayer, or confirmation you received about your calling. Are you obeying it today the way you were when it was fresh?

• Professionally – Audit your weekly routine. Where are you being inconsistent in things that matter—team meetings, customer service, financial reviews? Put a system in place that helps you obey with discipline.

• Personally – Are you faithfully showing up at home the same way you do at work? Ask someone close to you if they see consistency in how you lead, love, and listen.

God doesn’t need your perfection—He desires your obedience. And when you step out in faith, even when afraid, He meets you there with strength, peace, and provision.

That’s it for this month’s LEADing Diligently newsletter—I’ll see you again next month!

If this message challenged or encouraged you, I’d love to hear from you. Just hit reply and let me know: What’s one courageous step you’re taking this month?

— Paul Harstrom

P.S. If you’re looking for deeper clarity in your leadership and purpose, here are a few ways to work with me:
✔ Executive Coaching & Advisory Services
✔ CEO & Emerging Leader MasterMind Groups
✔ Strategic Leadership Consulting
✔ 2-3x Your Business – Systematize and Scale for Sustainable Growth

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