To Answer and Obey the Call

“Are you called to write? If the answer is no, don’t waste your time. If the answer is yes, than anything less is disobedience. Don’t worry about getting an agent or finding a publisher. Write for an audience of One. Write as an act of obedience.” – Mark Batterson

Someone posted this quote on Instagram this week at just the right time. I was in a discussion with a friend about his writing habits or the lack thereof. This quote got to the heart of the matter, saying exactly what I wanted to say in a way I never thought to say it.

I write because I feel that is the ministry God has called me to. He has blessed me with the interest in it, the tools I need to learn the craft, and the stories to tell. I write because He showed me a long time ago the power a story can hold. I write because sometimes the only way to get vital truth past people’s walls is to clothe that truth with relatable characters, an interesting plot, and an intriguing setting. I write because I feel called to encourage and challenge other believers in their walks of faith.

Failure to write, for me, would be disobedience to the One who called me. I’d love for my stories and devotions to impact people in a big way. I try to be faithful to do what I know to do in furthering the reach of my writing. It would be amazing if Hallmark called me one day and said, “We read your latest book, and we want to make it into a movie.” Of course, great for me would also be earning regular and reliable royalty checks! But as much as I’m going to continue to grow in my understanding of the business side of writing, I can’t lose sight of one important truth.

God gave me this ministry. It is not mine. It is His. This means I can be responsible with the work of it, but I have to truth Him with the outcome. 1 Corinthians 3:7 is a great reminder of this. “So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.” It’s His calling for me, His message going out, and He is the one who will cause it to reach the ones He intends it to go to.

It is my job to be obedient. If that means doing something He has called me to do, then that is what I must do. If I want to do something and God says no, then, obedience tells me I cannot do it no matter how much it hurts to turn away from it.

I cant wait to obey until the pieces fall into perfect place. I’m working a full-time job, and I have a family. These make it difficult to write regularly. I’d love writing to be my only job. I could tell God I’ll obey later when that’s possible, but “not right now” is as disobedient as an outright “no”. God has called me now, and I want to be obedient to that call.

What about you? What do you feel God is calling you to? Have you answered the call or are you making excuses and choosing disobedience? Are you ready to obey God’s call? Spend time in prayer letting God know you’re ready to follow His path for your life and ask Him to show you how to accomplish His will, His way in your life.