About this episode

Megan Ashley discusses the importance of abiding in God's love for joyful obedience, rather than striving for approval.

In Totality Podcast is back for a season 3 return this week!  This season is anchored in John 15, where Jesus says, “Remain in My love.” And so I want to slow down with you and allow scripture to call us back to something we forget so easily: joyful obedience doesn’t come from striving, it comes from abiding. So many of us are trying to follow God from a place of pressure, like we have to earn closeness, approval, or prove we’re “doing enough.” But Jesus doesn’t invite us into performance. He invites us into relationship. Into a life where we stay connected to Him, and the fruit comes from finding Joy in our lives with Him, not from dreaded works.   As I read and reflect, I talk about what this can look like in real life: when you’ve been “doing all the right things” but you’re losing joy, so your relationship with God starts to feel transactional. We talk about identity, living as sons and daughters, not as servants, and what it means to receive His love before you try to get your life together on your own. This episode is for anyone who feels tired of trying… tired of striving… tired of carrying their walk with God like a weight. If you’ve been asking, “Why does…

People in this episode

Host: Megan Ashley

Topics covered

• joyful obedience
• abiding in love
• relationship with God
• identity
• spiritual growth

Keywords

• joyful obedience
• abiding
• relationship with God
• identity
• spirituality
• faith
• John 15

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: John 15

More episodes of In Totality with Megan Ashley

• EP 112: Boundaries, Discernment & the Holy Spirit: Loving Without Losing Wisdom · April 21, 2026 · 57 min
• EP 111: His Steadfast Love Never Fails: Waiting Without Anxiety · April 14, 2026 · 57 min
• EP 110: Grief With Hope: When Loss Hits Out of Nowhere · April 7, 2026 · 50 min
• EP 109: God as the Theme (Not a Topic): Discipling Your Kids in Daily Life · March 31, 2026 · 42 min
• EP 108: You Can’t Do Christianity Alone: Why Community Is Non-Negotiable · March 24, 2026 · 58 min
• EP 107: Pause, Pray, Then Post: Christian Unity · March 17, 2026 · 1h 7m

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