Have I Been Called to Write?

by Cathy Posey

Is being a writer a calling from God? I have asked myself that on more than one occasion.

I have always felt a genuine unease when wasting time. There is always something I should or could be doing. I feel that doing something that isn’t part of God’s purpose or plan for me is irresponsible.

Sometimes, I obsess over being in God’s will so much that I become frozen, ineffective, and unhappy. This is especially so when my prayers on the subject are met with radio silence.

I am blessed with a godly husband who listens to my fears and concerns and does his best to assuage them. I want to do the same for you.

I attributed a Bible verse to my husband during premarital counseling that fits this situation perfectly. James 1:17 says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." Let me reassure you that your love and talent for writing is a good and perfect gift from God.

If someone gave you a very useful gift for your birthday and it remained unused in the bottom of your drawer, the person who gave the gift to you would be sad and disappointed. God feels the same about the gifts he gives us. He wants us to use them. Just like our earthly Father delights in seeing us enjoy a gift he bought, our heavenly Father delights in our enjoyment of his gifts.

While you need to be waiting on the Lord and looking for anything that he wants you to do, while you are waiting and looking, it is perfectly fine to pursue your writing.

Let’s look at the best possible person as an example. Jesus’s earthly ministry lasted three years, yet he lived to be 33 years old. Other than preaching at 12, we actually know very little about his early life. But we do know that he lived it. He went about his heavenly Father’s business when God told him to, and he did normal human things when his ministry had not yet begun. When asked to turn water into wine, what was his first response? He said it wasn’t time yet. He was simply enjoying a wedding with family before his first miracle.

When it came to his job, he didn’t have to ask God if it was okay to pursue being a carpenter. He just kept himself available to God’s leading and pursued the talents and gifts he had been given.

God also knows that you need to pursue your passions in life. If you focus wholly on work, your life can become out of balance, and your Christian witness can suffer, turning your joy into depression.

I try to look at my writing as an avenue to meet and reach people. If nothing else, it is often a conversation booster when people learn I’m a writer. It gives me an opportunity to share my faith through the articles, poems, and stories I’ve written. Everything I write isn’t always geared directly towards Christians, but my faith is still evident in the text.

When asked what I write, I always say I love to write clean, family-friendly stories. That one statement allows me to bring my faith into the conversation and hopefully share the gospel with others.

So, while writing might not be a ‘calling,’ it is something that can be used to build up his kingdom. That is something we should all be doing, so why not do it while pursuing something you love?

You may be asking, ‘What if I focus on my writing and miss God’s leading?’ 

If you are earnestly seeking God’s will for your life, then God will do his part to make sure you don’t miss it. Living a surrendered Christian life allows you to pursue the gifts God has given while being open and willing to go and do whatever he asks of you. There is no reason why you can’t write in the waiting. For some of us, the writing that we do in between nudges from God can become a true calling from him. He wants your surrender and obedience, but he also delights in giving you the desires of your heart. If you long to show the world the love and light of God in all you do, including writing, then your writing is a good thing that God can and will use.

Truth at a Glance:

1. Writing is a gift directly from God

2. He delights in you using your gift.

3. He’s given you a talent for it.

4. He’s given you a love for it.

5. It can be used for good and to help build up his kingdom.

So it is safe to say as long as you are open to God’s leading, then writing is something you can joyfully pursue.

Rest in the knowledge that God’s purpose for your life isn’t dependent on your ability to never miss a cue from him. He can speak in an earthquake, a whirlwind, and a still small voice. If you are willing to obey, he can get your attention.

While I desperately want a bonafide sign from God saying, “Writing is your calling," I’ve realized that my faith lies in trusting that God will guide my path no matter what. Writing doesn’t have to be a ‘calling’ to be part of God’s purpose. And living a life of purpose is a life well lived and, most definitely, not wasted.

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We were so pleased to publish this guest post by Southern Christian Writers Conference member Cathy Posey. We pray that it made you think about how God can use your writing. Your gifts--and calling!--can truly impact the world.

Cathy Posey is a proud wife and dog mom who has loved writing since she was twelve. She hopes to use her writing to encourage those who are struggling with mental illness and to share with everyone the love of God.