And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have. (2 Corinthians 8:10-12 NKJV)
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. (1 Corinthians 9:16-17)
The first time I had the crazy thought that God might be calling me to preach, I was sitting on the edge of my bed reading my Good News Bible. This was a new thing for me. It was early days in my recovery from addiction, and I had only recently acknowledged that God even existed. My recovery friends told me I should read something spiritual and pray every day.
For my pickled brain, that simple-language Bible with stick-figure illustrations was the best I could manage. On this particular morning I know I was reading from the Gospels because I remember the letters being in red. Many of these stories about Jesus I had heard as a kid, but they seemed brand new to me. Frankly, it all seemed too good to be true.
As I prayed for God to help me, an oddly clear thought popped into my mind: “If this stuff is true, then somebody ought to be telling people about it.” My first response was, “Yeah, absolutely.” Then it hit me—“Oh no! Not that.” I closed the book, leaned forward, and flung it as far up under the bed as I could. Whew!
After a few days, though, I found myself on the floor by the bed trying to locate that Bible. I really needed to know the truth. Thank God I have long arms. With a bit of a stretch I was able to retrieve it. I resumed my daily reading but tried hard not to think about what had happened. The implications were just too weird.
Ignoring it didn’t make it go away. Within a few months I graduated to a King James Bible and began setting aside whole days for fasting, prayer, and study. I got involved in a Bible study. In less than a year I quit my job and headed off to Bible school. The sense of being squarely in the middle of God’s will was absolutely exhilarating.
All of that seems amusing nearly fifty years later, but at the time it was both terrifying and stimulating. This was the first of many experiences of being prompted by God to take a step of faith. I still sometimes want to pretend it didn’t happen, but I’ve learned it’s a losing battle. He is not easily dissuaded, and nothing but obedience brings contentment.
Scripture Reading: God never changes his mind when he gives gifts or when he calls someone. (Romans 11:29 GW)
Here’s the point: We serve the same God who called Samuel three times, who patiently answered every one of Moses’ objections at the bush, and who pursued Jonah even into the depths of the sea. His calling is not fragile or easily discouraged. If He has prompted you about something, don’t think He will simply give up. The easiest path is obedience, and that starts with willingness. The “on” switch to willingness is inside of you—and only you can flip it. Do it now.
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