Worship and Serve God not Man
As I read the words of author, Xochitl Dixon, from Our Daily Bread magazine, a sudden realization filled my mind. Xochitl noted, "I use writing to worship and serve God, even more so now that health issues often limit my mobility. So, when an acquaintance said he found no value in what I wrote, I became discouraged. I doubted the significance of my small offerings to God."
I have been having similar doubts about my own writing. I questioned why I was actually writing in the first place. I had been an educator for years, but my degree was in health education not literature. I had an Associate Professor criticize a story I had written for a college writing course. He made quite a point of picking the piece apart in front of the other students. After class, I confronted him and he apologized and noted he had wanted to write such a piece. All the same, I was deflated and didn't do much writing after that, especially fiction stories.
Recently, as I wrote a book and asked for feedback from friends and acquaintances, my friends exclaimed their joy at my accomplishment, but the acquaintance noted something about me finding another hobby. So as I read Xochitl's article, it reminded me that my writing should not be for pleasing man, but instead as a way to worship and serve God. He can take my weaknesses and make them strengths for His Kingdom and His glory.
What a relief it is to be reminded that I'm writing for "an audience of One." May God use me and my writing to do His Will in the life He has given me.
I have been having similar doubts about my own writing. I questioned why I was actually writing in the first place. I had been an educator for years, but my degree was in health education not literature. I had an Associate Professor criticize a story I had written for a college writing course. He made quite a point of picking the piece apart in front of the other students. After class, I confronted him and he apologized and noted he had wanted to write such a piece. All the same, I was deflated and didn't do much writing after that, especially fiction stories.
Recently, as I wrote a book and asked for feedback from friends and acquaintances, my friends exclaimed their joy at my accomplishment, but the acquaintance noted something about me finding another hobby. So as I read Xochitl's article, it reminded me that my writing should not be for pleasing man, but instead as a way to worship and serve God. He can take my weaknesses and make them strengths for His Kingdom and His glory.
What a relief it is to be reminded that I'm writing for "an audience of One." May God use me and my writing to do His Will in the life He has given me.
Ephesians 6:7-8
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.
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