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Finding Why You Write

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Sometimes the hardest thing to do is begin. And the next hardest thing to do is begin again. I took three months off of blogging, and I had a lot of time to ponder reasons why I should start again or not.

Life makes it harder.

We get weary.
We get busy.
We get distracted.
We get discouraged.
We compare.
We believe lies.
We doubt ourselves.

I came up with a million excuses why I cannot, should not, or will not. Yet, I knew I was not supposed to quit. God made it clear, and it really was not open for discussion. I had to begin again.

Beginning again is hard when you think you have failed. It is hard when you do not think it is worth it, because you are not seeing the results you expected. It is hard when the results you get are not in proportion to the effort applied.

It costs too much to mean nothing.

finding-why-you-write

Beginning again is hard when you do not really know why you are doing it to begin with. The reasons we begin are not always the same reasons we keep going. Sometimes our “why” gets redefined along the way.

It changes. We change.

We learn. We experience. We grow

What motivates us changes.

I became clouded with self ambition. My desires had to be refined, yet my purpose remained the same. The purpose is the same for those who call themselves followers of Christ

If we strip the “why” down to the simplest form, its simplest is its most powerful…

“He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 19-20 NIV)

God has a message He wants to get to those who are His, and those who are yet to be. He has put His message inside of you, and how you bring it as unique as every fingerprint.

We are all different, yet we have a common thread in all our tapestries.

“We are stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 NKJV

How might you be found faithful? Obey.

How might those mysteries be revealed through your words? Many ways.

They may come from you in a way that makes us laugh, or be contemplative and introspective. They may help us organize our lives, or help find our purpose. Your words may causes us to think or expand our thinking. Or they may challenges us, and aid us in being better selves — to love well, to serve more, to be who we were created to be.

Your stories and imagery may stir our imagination, and help us see grace and beauty in places we might not have looked. Or perhaps break our hearts open wide in conviction for our sin or compassion for those in need. You may write truth that brings freedom, opens blind eyes, and helps us live our lives as praise to God.

No matter what form it comes, the reason we write is the same — to make God’s love known.

“His love has the first and last word in everything we do…Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in His death so that everyone could also be included in His life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 MSG)

It is why we write. It is why Christ died. It is why we live.

 

Comments

  1. “The reasons we begin are not always the same reasons we keep going. Sometimes our “why” gets redefined along the way.” I am in this process right now, of the writing being redefined. Thank you for sharing your heart Michele-Lyn.

    • Barbie,

      I know you have been, and it’s not easy. May I say this? Do not be in a rush to end the process. Give yourself as long as you need, as long as God needs. The work He is doing in your heart is deep, and it will bear much fruit in your life and ministry. Sometimes God hides us, keeps us tucked away in Him, until His time to release us to run our race with greater fervency, faith, and focus so we may make a greater impact changing lives for His glory.

  2. Thanks Michel-Lyn for this! I too seem to always struggle with writing/blogging since 2009. When it becomes all about the numbers, I stop. When it becomes all for Him, I write more. It’s a balance to fight for yet so many need our voices.

    • Michelle,

      Yes, yes. When it becomes all about numbers or results or anything more than living to please God it leaves us dry and weary and dissatisfied. It is a balance “worth” fighting for! 🙂

      P.S. You spelled my name how it shows on my birth certificate. I added the “e” to Michel because growing up, I was called Michael all the time. It was very embarrassing. 🙂

      • I’m sorry…I didn’t realiz..e I did that! Us Michel(l)e’s gotta stay together.

        • Please, you do not need to apologize at all. It made me smile. I have a childhood best friend who still addresses me in cards and notes as Michel. It’s endearing. <3

  3. Love! Love! Love! I so needed this. I’ve been so distracted from writing on my blog lately. These words spoke to me. Thank you!

    • Mandy,

      Thank you, friend. There are ebbs and flows we cannot control, aren’t there? Our seasons and schedules change, but I really truly believe that if we are called to write, and allow God’s Spirit to lead us, when we do write and publish, we can trust He will bring the message to the right people at just the right time. “Faithful is He who calls, and He will do it.” 1 Thess 5:24

  4. This “stories and imagery may stir our imagination, and help us see grace and beauty in places we might not have looked” – rings true. We may feel inept like moss but when we show up with our little broken bits, God moves and fills the space between our thoughts and are fingers. We sit to write. The Holy Spirit does the work using our words to pierce hearts.

  5. Such a great message. I think this rings true for many of us. I often time doubt my ability. Then begin to question my desire and before I know I’m left defeated and tired.
    Thanks for sharing. It’s an inspiration!
    Have a great day!

    • Melanie,

      Thank you. And you said it well. That seems to be the cycle, doesn’t it — doubt, defeated, tired and weak? It makes me think about how Jesus said the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy, and he does it subtly…

  6. What a timely word, Michele-Lyn. Thank you. Especially as the writing comes with so many other things: the tweeting, emailing, reading, etc. It’s easy to lose track of the “how” to write, but especially when I’ve lost track of the “why.” I want to always be working from the “why.” Thank you for the reminder!

    • Katie,

      Umm? Yes. I tell my husband all the time, it’s not as simple as publishing a post. There is so much that surrounds it. I get hung up on formatting, also. For a while it took me twice as long to format as it did to write. I prayed to the Lord over and over, “It costs too much to mean nothing. I need to really know why I am doing this.” Time away helped clarify my vision again, and get back to “why” it’s worth it.

  10. Thank you Michele-Lyn for listening, for sharing and for beginning again. Your words of encouragement found their way to many hearts, mine included. Glad I found you.

  11. Thanks so much, Michele-Lyn. Sometimes it feels like every man and his dog are blogging, and what could I possible add to the mix? But you are absolutely right: “He has put His message inside of you, and how you bring it is as unique as every fingerprint.” Ahhh. Precious reminder right there. So grateful and encouraged… thank you 🙂

    • Laura,

      Umm? Yes, I think about that all the time — the part of every man and his dog. I have to push that out of my mind and do it anyway. But of course, it is not always easy. I had to go back to my very first post and find the “why” before it became tainted with a desire to make a name for myself. God has certainly done a deep work in my heart. I love what you got from this post. It was my favorite part. 🙂 I need it too.

  12. I haven’t blogged consistently since May for all of these reasons. Pretty sure this is the best post I have read all summer. Thank you for sharing this!!!! May we press on together!

    • Christie,

      You are not the first person to tell me they have not been blogging for a certain amount of time. I really do believe God has something planned, and He’s calling His people out of the noise of the crowd, pulling them in close, clarifying vision, pouring out anew and fresh from His Spirit into their hearts, so they may move out and continue their race and impact this world and advance His Kingdom in this earth. To the break, I say take as long as you and God need… Your words will be so much more powerful and fruitful because of the time you spend waiting on Him. Thank you for sharing your encouragement, too. 🙂

  13. Thank you for this, Michelle – this is something we all need to continually come to Jesus about. So easy to get caught up with the wrong motives, swept into numbers, or looking for approval. When all along, writing/blogging is to come from an overflowing heart, filled with Him. Thanks for spelling this out so clearly … and for taking us along on your journey and thought process as you write. I’ve been thinking through some of these same things myself.

    • Cherry,

      You said it well… we must continually come to Jesus about it. It’s the only way to be sure our motives stay pure. I often find myself double minded, thinking the world’s way, only to be reminded that God’s ways are so much higher than ours.

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