Do you?
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 8:10-11: "I want to suggest that you finish what you started to do.... Let your enthusiastic idea at the start be equalled by your realistic action now."
Did Paul walk his talk?
I'm no theologian, but by all that Paul suffered in the lashings, stonings, persecutions, imprisonments, all in the name of Christianity, I'd say he did. Paul dealt with physical and emotional hardship throughout his ministry, but he continued to act! Continued to spread the news, the love of Christianity.
Would Paul say to us Christian writers who are striving to spread the good news through our written words: "I want to suggest that you finish what you started to do....Let your enthusiastic idea at the start be equalled by your realistic action now."?
I think he would.
If you believe that God is your ultimate provider, that He spins these fantastical, emotional, entertaining stories that reveal His everlasting love, through the unique and complex imagination God gave only you, then yes, dear writer friend, you too need to recapture that enthusiastic feeling you began with, and finish the task of writing His story. For there is no one else who could write it quite like you. Seriously!
Don't be a quitter. See it to completion and let God do with it as He sees fit. And yes, I'm writing this for me, but if it helps you, too, to God be the glory! For it is through His dear apostle Paul that He sent us this message. What message may He be trying to send through you?
Surrendering to Him,
Eileen
5 comments:
Thanks Eileen for this post. It was just what I needed today. I am stuck in my WIP and was thinking I really don't have what it takes. I have the day at home today and am going to spend it writing, hoping to get through my blockage. Say a quick prayer!!!
I love this post! This scripture spoke to me so powerfully a while back and--wow. God's word is so alive! Thanks for sharing :-)
I'm praying for us all to be encouraged and regain our enthusiasm toward our work at hand! God is so good!
Hi Eileen,
It is hard to persevere through those times when our enthusiasm for our writing fades. I think our enthusiasm fades after we've been at any difficult tasks for a while. Like painting a room, for example. We might start out enthusiastic and excited about the outcome, but about halfway through we're tired of it and just want to be done!
Sometimes we just have to plug forward and get the job done. As we talked about last week, God desires our obedience more than our happiness! So, even in our writing we need to plow forward during those dry times. When we do that, often God restores our enthusiasm!
Great encouragement! Thank you. :-)
Post a Comment