Are You a Worried Writer?

 

By Marilyn Nutter

When I sent a note to my college-aged grandchildren, I included the Scripture, Matthew 6:33 (NIV): “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

I encouraged them to stay the course and make their relationship with God a priority. If they did, I told them everything they needed would fall into place.

I prayed they would value and apply that advice, then I turned it around to myself.

As writers, we have many ideas floating around in our minds. We can’t decide which to pursue first or how to approach a topic. Sometimes we focus on rejections. We look for best places to submit, weigh writing conference opportunities, and struggle to keep up with social media. We use our time to research and write, and question if our presence on social media is making a difference. What more, or what else should I do?

Does it sound like we have reversed Matthew 6:33, making other “things” the priority?

As writers, let’s look at living the verse:

·       First: Seek God first in prayer, acknowledging His presence. Be quiet and remind yourself of His love and his faithfulness. The Message paraphrase of Matthew 6:31-33 encourages us: 

If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works.

·       As we seek God first, pray for wisdom. He has uniquely created each of us with a writing style, purpose, and a calling to fulfill His purposes, in His way, and according to His timing. Ask what He wants you to write today and guidance to go about it.

 

·       Seek Him for direction and provision. Is there a blog you should read, a conference to attend, or a writing partner to encourage you? As The Message said, God wants to give to you. Look and listen, so you can find.

 

·       Write and live in God confidence—the righteousness mentioned in Matthew 6:33. Be connected to Him, seeking the first, and write to His rhythm and timetable.

 

What about you? Have you tended to reverse Matthew 6:33 putting “other things” first? Do you then ask God‘s blessing (His stamp of approval), or do you pray to seek him first to find his blessing to proceed?

The Message concludes with, “Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met” (verse 33).

So writer, pause and steep in God’s presence before you begin your day and project. Don’t worry. Know God is at work in your life to give you what you need. He says so, and that’s a promise you can count on.

Photo by Michael Heise on Unsplash

Marilyn Nutter is the author of Hope for Widows: Reflections on Mourning, Living, and Change and co-author with April White of the award winning book, Destination Hope: A Travel Companion When Life Falls Apart, She is a frequent contributor to online sites and compilations. Visit her at http:/MarilynNutter.com.