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Question 5

Paula discovers she resented stylish Christians, and she contrasts that with not envying tobacco users; how does that comparison uncover whether our obedience flows from delight or from deprivation, and what does it imply about God’s intentions behind commands that feel restrictive?

Another way to ask: Paula felt jealous of stylish Christians but not of people who used tobacco. How does that show whether her obedience felt like joy or like missing out, and what might that say about why God gives hard commands?

Direct Answer Paula’s comparison shows that resentment often reveals we feel deprived rather than blessed; when obedience flows from delight, we do not envy those who disobey, suggesting God’s commands are meant for our good, not to make us miserable.

Support from Transcript:

Paula confesses she “resented people who dressed more stylishly… and who adorned themselves more.”
She tests her heart by asking, “Do I resent Christians who use tobacco?” and answers “No,” because she is “happy” to be protected from tobacco’s harms and “delight[ed] in being free from tobacco.”
Her conclusion: “She didn't delight in God's laws on modesty and adornment. She obeyed those laws, but she didn't delight in them.”
That lack of delight explains envy: “That's why she resented others who didn't follow them.”
Later she grows to see God’s counsel as “for her own good” and becomes “glad to follow His counsel,” which removes resentment.

Discussion Follow-ups Where do we obey God but secretly feel cheated—and what might that reveal about whether we trust His commands as loving counsel?

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