Just Say Yes: Embracing God's Call in the Unknown

Have you ever felt stuck in a waiting period, wondering if God has forgotten about you? Perhaps you're standing in what some call "the hallway"—that uncomfortable space between where you were and where you're going, waiting for the next door to open. If you find yourself there today, take heart: your waiting isn't wasted. When God has you waiting, He's setting you up for something greater than you could imagine.

Think about a time when you received an assignment that felt too heavy for your shoulders. Maybe it was a work project beyond your qualifications, a public speaking engagement that terrified you, or a responsibility that kept you awake at night. Now multiply that weight exponentially, and you'll begin to understand what Mary and Joseph faced when God interrupted their ordinary lives with an extraordinary calling.

They were young—likely teenagers. They were poor, powerless, and unknown. Yet God chose them to carry and give birth to the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Their story isn't just ancient history; it's a living testimony of what courage, radical obedience, and radical faith look like when God disrupts our carefully laid plans.

The truth is this: what you are called to carry is always bigger than yourself.

In Luke 1:26-38, we witness the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary with news that would change everything. His first words after the greeting? "Do not be afraid." This wasn't casual encouragement—it was a necessary command because fear is often the first weapon the enemy uses when God calls us to something significant.

Intimidation seeks to make us timid, nervous, and fearful. It's the bully's tactic, and the adversary uses it masterfully. He reminds us of our inadequacies, our past failures, our family dysfunction, and every reason we're unqualified. Fear paralyzes. It muzzles our mouths and makes us idle in our faith.

But here's the liberating truth: courage doesn't mean the absence of fear; it means stepping forward in faith even when fear is present.
The Apostle Paul knew this when he encouraged Timothy, who was feeling intimidated in his new role as a pastor. Paul reminded him: "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). If you're battling fear today—fear of inadequacy, fear of failure, fear of what others will think—remember that this spirit doesn't come from God.

After the initial shock wore off, Mary asked a reasonable question: "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" Her question wasn't doubt—it was honest confusion. Questions are okay. God welcomes our questions. But there's a difference between asking for understanding and making excuses.
We all know the excuses well:

• "I don't have what it takes."
• "I'm not qualified."
• "They don't deserve my forgiveness."
• "I don't have the time."
• "I don't have the money."
• "What if I mess up?"

Mary could have made excuses. Joseph certainly could have. Instead, they chose a different response. After receiving God's answer, Mary declared: "Behold, the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word."
Your excuses will rob you of the miracle God wants to birth through your obedience.

Imagine being handed a contract with no fine print, no detailed terms, no guaranteed outcomes—just a blank page requiring your signature. Who would sign such a document? Yet this is precisely what God asked of Mary and Joseph.
They didn't know they'd be turned away from every inn in Bethlehem. They didn't know their child would be born in a stable among animals. They didn't understand the persecution, the misunderstanding, or the heartache that lay ahead. All they had was God's word and a choice: would they say yes?
When God calls you, He rarely provides the complete blueprint. You won't see every twist and turn. You won't know every challenge or blessing that awaits. But faith means signing your name boldly on that blank page, trusting that the Author and Finisher of your faith knows exactly what He's writing.

Here's something remarkable to consider: the Sunday school teacher who led Billy Graham to Christ remains relatively unknown. His name isn't in history books. But his yes to teaching a small class resulted in millions hearing the Gospel through Billy Graham's ministry.

Your yes carries eternal weight.

When you shake a newcomer's hand at church, you're making an eternal impact. When you pick up trash as part of the janitorial team, you're participating in something bigger than cleanliness. When you show up consistently, week after week, even when it's inconvenient, you're positioning yourself for God to open doors you didn't even know existed.
The man who hand-wired 80 light bulbs onto a Christmas tree in the late 1800s—Edward Johnson—was considered foolish. People loved their candles, despite the house fires. But his yes to a crazy idea changed how the entire world decorates Christmas trees today.
What might your yes accomplish?

Ministry doesn't begin with a microphone or a stage. It begins with showing up. It starts with finding a need and meeting a need. Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.

You may not have clarity about tomorrow, but what do you see right now? Where can you serve? Where can you give? Who can you encourage? Your calling unfolds piece by piece, step by step, yes by yes.

God is extending an invitation today. He's calling you higher, pushing you farther in your faith, asking you to step out of comfortable familiarity into the unknown territory of trust. The invitation comes without all the details, without guaranteed outcomes, without a safety net—just a promise that He will be with you.

The same God who prepared Mary and Joseph for 400 years of prophetic silence before sending His Son is the same God working in your life today. What they had to wait for, you simply need to receive.

So the question remains: Will you say yes?
Will you say yes even when you don't understand? Will you say yes when fear whispers that you're inadequate? Will you say yes when the path ahead is unclear? Will you say yes knowing that your obedience affects not just you but everyone you encounter?
The world was forever changed because a young virgin and her fiancé' said yes to an impossible assignment. They carried something bigger than themselves, and their obedience still impacts lives today.
What is God asking you to carry? What door is He asking you to walk through? What blank page is waiting for your signature?
Just say yes.