Galatians 5:25

New Living Translation

²⁵ Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

New Living Translation

²⁴ Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! ²⁵ All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. ²⁶ So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. ²⁷ I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

In a previous season, a brother in Christ sat down with his wife, my man, and me @ our Jesus table for a chat one afternoon. (The Jesus table is a 9 foot, 100+ year old oak table another brother found in a tobacco barn on his plantation, which he restored and sold to us while living in North Carolina.) He confirmed a call on my life to preach and prophesy through the written word – specifically referring to the devotional type blog you are now reading. He was a gifted entrepreneur who wanted to help monetize my website. I heard him out, but at the end of the discussion I just “knew” it wasn’t the time or season or intention of my heart to make money from my writing.  He understood, saying, “I get it. You simply want to write under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. You don’t want to write because your followers demand it.” “Yes. Exactly!” I replied.

Fast forward a few years… my soul – and my writing entered into a wilderness experience. As I walked through that valley of the shadow, I was no longer inspired to pick up my pen and put it to paper. My heart and my voice remained silent for a long, long, time. Blog posts became less and less frequent, to the point that I wondered, “is the writing stream all dried up?”

Fast forward a few more years… into The Promised Land. Another brother affirmed the call seemingly out of nowhere one Sunday morning after a worship service. I was taken aback, shocked that anyone was still reading the random posts I shared on social media! His words encouraged my soul and I tucked those seeds into the soil of my heart.

Today, as I was worshipping as I worked (doing chores with headphones on!) the Holy Spirit whispered a revelation: in a previous season, I wrote when I was inspired…but in this season, He was requiring me to write with inspiration AND perspiration.

Lemme explain.

I don’t always feel like writing. Although my feelings are valid, they aren’t always submitted to Truth. Therefore, I must train myself to listen and obey the Word, whether I feel like it, or not. Just like an athlete, I discipline myself to do what He says, knowing He has given me the grace and gift to write. His INSPIRATION AND my PERSPIRATION are required to please the Father. This is how we worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. This is how we prove that we love Him. This is how we produce good fruit that partners with good gifts to make disciples throughout the world.

What is the Lord INSPIRING you to do, my friend? Its time to start running. It’s time to start PERSPIRING – cuz there’s people along your path that need what you’ve been called to carry.