I have a friend who believes that he has a calling from God to do Gospel music, and has received confirmation from different people and pastors that he will one day stand on a stage with his band and sing to huge crowds. He believes he’s being held back from this because he can’t stop sinning. Therefore he is waiting for God to make him stop sinning and after that he’ll be able to follow his dream. What do you think?
God already knows your friend is a sinner, so it’s not God holding him back. If he’s received a calling that’s been independently confirmed, waiting for God to make Him stop sinning won’t do any good. In the first place, God doesn’t make people stop sinning because He knows we can’t (Romans 7:18-20). He forgives them when they sin (1 John 1:9). And the Book of Jonah, proves that resisting God’s call only makes matters worse. Your friend may actually be afraid to heed this call and might be looking for an excuse to duck out. I think he should move forward and trust in God to give him both the faith and the strength He needs to succeed.