But God, I don’t give blood! Remember how easily I pass out? Remember how queasy I get when my daughters come crying with skinned knees? You've got the wrong girl.

This is how I argued when God nudged me to participate in our community's Emergency Blood Drive following one of the worst snowstorms in decades. Despite my attempts to dissuade God, I found myself in a laboratory chair with a needle in my left arm and a pit in my stomach. After a few minutes, the technician checked my lines, then turned toward me. “Your blood must have clotted quickly. It's not going to work today."

Not going to work? But I did what God told me to do! I listened to the still, small voice. I conquered my fears!

Obedience can be tricky, can’t it? Whether God prompts us to donate blood or relocate to a new continent, here are three truths to remember about listening to the Holy Spirit.

1. Obedience is relational. What God wants most is to be in relationship with us. The intimate act of tuning into the Spirit’s still, small voice draws us closer to God. We learn how to discern divine messages from thousands of others bombarding us each day. We grow in reliance on Him as we do things we never would on our own. It is the foundation of our relationship. “Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people.” Jeremiah 7:23

2. Obedience is a path to well-being. In Jeremiah, God tells us to obey so “that it may go well with you.” He does not command obedience so that our endeavors will be successful. Our spiritual well-being is always His first priority; listening to Him is the path.

3. Obedience is mysterious. If following God’s promptings always brought results, listening would be reduced to a predictable formula. But we serve a mysterious God who delights in each tiny drop of faithfulness we add to the ocean that is His Kingdom. We may never see the waves these drops help to create, and this is His perfect, mysterious design.