My Sunday Wake-Up Call

This past Sunday hit different. It wasn’t just another message, it was a moment of clarity. A reminder. A confrontation. And honestly? A reset. The title was “How Sinful Practices Hinder Your Purpose”, but the part that pierced me was the subtopic: “Sin Will Slow You Down.”

I didn’t always imagine I’d be in ministry, especially youth ministry. For years, my heart and identity were wrapped in ball. Basketball was everything to me. My dreams, my drive, my image, it was all tied to that court. But then, God started pulling on me. Not in a loud, dramatic way. But in quiet moments, in conversations, in restlessness that I couldn’t explain. When I moved here and gave up ball, it felt like I was laying down everything that once gave me confidence. But looking back, I see that it was the beginning of real purpose. God wasn’t just calling me away from something. He was calling me into something deeper. I stepped into youth ministry. I started walking alongside people who were fighting the same battles I had fought in silence.And it made me think of my dad. For those who don’t know, my dad played pro football. He had the platform, the respect, the influence. But around 15 years ago, he walked away from the game and into the call of ministry. He traded stadium lights for sanctuary truth. And what inspires me the most isn’t just that he changed lanes. It’s that he surrendered. He realized that destiny doesn’t live in fame. It lives in obedience. Watching him lead with integrity gave me an example. But walking it out myself? That’s where things get real.

See, here’s what Sunday made me confront: I’ve been serving God, but I hadn’t fully surrendered. I had said yes to ministry, but I hadn’t said no to the subtle sins that culture makes normal.

✔️ Fornication? Everybody’s doing it.
✔️ Cursing? Just part of how we express ourselves.
✔️ Lust for money? We call it hustle.
✔️ Selfish ambition? We call it “grinding for success.”

But in reality, it was disobedience dressed up as independence. I told myself it wasn’t that serious. But Sunday reminded me: “You can’t walk in destiny and purpose while living in disobedience.”

Here’s what shook me from the message:

– Sin separates you from divine direction. (Isaiah 59:1-2 MSG)
I’ve been asking God for clarity but compromise had clouded my connection.

– Sin weighs you down. (Hebrews 12:1 KJV)
No wonder I’ve felt tired in my spirit. You can’t run with purpose while dragging disobedience.

– Sin opens the door to sabotage. (Romans 6:12-13 NLT)
What I thought I was managing was actually managing me.

– Freedom from sin unlocks acceleration. (Romans 6:14 KJV)
The more I surrender, the more clearly I hear. The more I obey, the more doors open. Doors only God can open, doors no man can shut.

I left that service knowing something had to change. I had to repent not just for the visible sins, but for the hidden ones I justified. I had to choose obedience not perfection, but surrender. I had to remember: My purpose is too big for compromise.God isn’t looking for flawless people. He’s looking for yielded ones. And if you’ve felt like I have stuck, slowed down, or spiritually heavy, maybe it’s time to let go of what’s weighing you down. Don’t let small compromises cost you a big calling. Don’t let culture’s approval cancel your Kingdom assignment. Don’t settle for being used by God, be surrendered to Him. Because when you fully yield, that’s when you start to move at His pace. That’s when destiny begins to unfold without delay.

“In reality, God doesn’t always call the qualified—but He qualifies the called.”

I’m living proof of that.
My dad is proof of that.
And you can be too.