Grace for the Writer’s Journey: Radical Obedience

Dear Writer, I hope you’ve had a beautiful week and considered how you can deepen your reliance on God! This week, we’re going to explore how surrender and reliance equip us for radical obedience as God’s writers. Because here’s the thing…

Sometimes God may give us a story that doesn’t fit the mold. He may call us to reach an audience not typically sought. You see, our God is a God who continually does a new thing and goes after those who’ve been overlooked. Sometimes following His path will require bold steps of obedience.

The good news? Every boldly obedient step paves the way for His glory. But before we dive in, let’s look at some whose radical obedience transformed people and nations…

Radical Obedience in History

Rees Howells is an astounding example of radical obedience. Early in Rees’ faith walk, the Lord led him to minister to the homeless, breaking down Rees’ pride by calling him to live a life not dissimilar to homeless themselves. To do that, Rees often had to take steps that flew in the face of social constructs in order to honor God’s call to identify with the people he served. After many years of faithful ministry to the homeless and others, God moved Rees to begin a Christian Bible College.

Because Rees had already been trained to radically obey, when World War II broke out, it was simple for Rees to follow God’s leading to cancel classes and call his students and staff to intercede for the war. Their intercession played a pivotal role in the downfall of Hitler. And if you are interested in Rees’ story you can read about his journey in “Intercessor”

You see, writer, sometimes we don’t realize how one step of obedience prepares us for the next, training us for the greater works that God intends to accomplish through our lives. But one step of obedience always opens the door for the next.

Radical Obedience in the Bible

Jeremiah is another amazing example of radical obedience. From the beginning of his ministry, God warned Jeremiah that, though all men would be against him, God Himself was on Jeremiah’s side. God gave Jeremiah a powerful promise of protection, as long as Jeremiah faithfully shared God’s messages.

With God’s promise backing Him, Jeremiah took step after step of radical obedience. Though he faced beatings, imprisonment, and death threats, in every instance God’s amazing power preserved both Jeremiah’s life and the message God had given him.

Sometimes, the steps and leaps we are called to take are bigger than us. It’s only as we lean into God’s grace that He can strengthen us to go where He’s leading.

Radical Obedience in Life

I learned to radically obey when God called me to submit to a manager at odds with the mission of the ministry I served. But as I gave God my yes, He gave me strength to work with diligence. To my surprise, God used the manager to train in me in new levels of excellence in my craft. At the same time, God taught me how to graciously work with those I don’t always agree with, which became an invaluable skill in the positions of ministry He placed me in later.

Radical Obedience in Your Life

You see, writer, sometimes we don’t know what our radical step of obedience will accomplish—both in us and for others. But when we lean into God to obey, He multiplies our efforts in remarkable ways. Let me show you…

• • But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12So death is at work in us, but life in you. 13Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. – 2 Corinthians 4:7-15
  • And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42And they all ate and were satisfied. – Mark 6:41-42
  • Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, – Colossians 1:24 

You see, writer, when we take steps of radical obedience, it opens the door for God to establish His Kingdom on the earth. It allows Him to make us the answer to our own prayer, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.”  Because, though He doesn’t need to, God nearly always chooses to work through men to transform His people and His world.

Where to start with Radical Obedience

So are you ready to consider what radical obedience looks like in your life and writing? Here are some ideas to get you started…

1. 1. Make an Investment. One of the most important steps to radical obedience is to root ourselves in God through prayer, study, worship, and Christian fellowship. The more we invest in something, the more we grow to love it, and the easier trust and bold “yes’s” become. That’s why Jesus says, “Where your treasure is, your heart will be also.” Find ways to actively invest in God’s heart, whether giving your time, attention, intercession, or finances. When we put God first in those ways, we are training ourselves to put Him first in every way.
   2. Resolve Your “Yes.” Sometimes we can make our “yes” to God easier by resolving ahead of time to trust Him no matter what. We can practice this by choosing Him in the small everyday things. Simple things like choosing not to give space to gossip or offense. By choosing to be consistent in habits of prayer and devotion. By choosing to keep our promises to ourselves and others. As we practice our “yes” through faithfulness in the small things we know He’s asked us to do, it prepares us for the larger things.
   3. Remember Well. Create rhythms of remembering and celebration of the ways God has been faithful to you in the past. Holidays, birthdays, and even the weekends can be wonderful times to intentionally stop, remember, rehearse, and celebrate how God has been faithful to you and your family. Be sure to write those stories of God’s goodness down and to share them with others. As you do, you are rewiring your brain to expect God’s goodness in the midst of difficulties and challenges.
   4. Pray. One of the best ways to prepare yourself for radical steps of obedience is to pray. You see a critical part of stepping out in radical obedience is knowing you are not stepping out on your own. God has gone before you preparing the way. And He is with you guiding you as you go. You can develop this awareness by cultivating an ongoing conversation with God. Seek His wisdom and help for all you do. Praise Him for all His blessings along the way. Make yourself available to speak His words of encouragement to others and to intercede for the situations and people you encounter. Because here’s the thing…

Learning to partner with God’s grace for your life is really about learning to partner with God Himself. It’s about learning what it looks like to walk by faith alongside Him as He uses you in ways and contexts you never imagined. Because here’s the deal…

We almost never expect too much of God. More often, we expect too little. Or, apart from His wisdom and guidance, we make assumptions about what He will do. But as we learn to walk with Him, we become more and more confident in His faithfulness and kind intentions toward us. And we learn when to pause and seek Him and when to press forward in what He’s shown us.

Just like Rees confidence in God’s voice equipped him to call a whole college to intercede for a war. Just like Jeremiah trust in God’s promised strengthened him to stand his ground, whether before kings or at the bottom of a well. Just like my obedience equipped to serve God regardless of a leader’s imperfections. And here’s the thing. When we walk with God in radical obedience, He develops a resilience that enables us to weather life’s storms of life as oaks of righteousness that can shelter others.

So I encourage you today, writer, if you’ve felt intimidated by the next step in your writing journey—don’t back up! Lean into God for His strength to move forward. You never know whose transformation may be waiting on the other side of your obedience.

#obey #trust #worldchangers #EveryWriterWriting