It took me a long time to realize that I mattered to God. I mean really mattered. These days, I am very comfortable in that understanding. At least I thought I was.
I spent Saturday morning at a wonderful brunch where our hostess fed us amazing food then asked the ladies around the table to tell something surprising that God did for them this year. I don’t always share in these types of situations. I didn’t know all the women in attendance and I get a bit shy. But after awhile, I knew I must open my mouth.
I shared how God had surprised me this year by giving me encouragement in my writing—from contest finals to a story published in a book, even the encouragement of an award-winning author who met me in a great disappointment and showed me that, even then, God saw me and my writing. When I finished sharing, this statement came out of my mouth: “It surprised me that God would encourage me in something that doesn’t matter. If I don’t take care of my family or something like that, those things matter. But my writing? In the big picture, it doesn’t matter if that happens or not, yet God specifically encouraged me in that over the course of this year.”
The room went silent. Another woman jumped in. “But it does matter. That’s what I’ve seen in every story shared—it all matters to God.”
I thought about her words as I drove home. I have had the attitude that my writing is kind of a “throw away.” I’m not published, it isn’t my job, it seems to be just for me, and doing it doesn’t displease the Lord, so I keep on. But my writing isn’t important. Doing or not doing it won’t make any great impact on the important things in life.
Or will it? Given the incredible encouragements the Lord has given me this year, I think I have believed a lie. My writing does matter to the Lord. It apparently matters very much! If it were truly a “throw away,” something with no eternal value whatsoever, something that will not specifically bring glory and honor to His name, would He so overtly encourage it? I think not! Something of great value—to myself or someone else—lies in telling my stories and telling them well. I think I’d better take that as seriously as God seems to.
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5 comments:
so thankful today that i found your blog - and even more thankful that you see the truth and have squashed the lie the enemy has been playing over and over again in your life. IT DOES MATTER - PRAISE JESUS IT MATTERS!!!
You have a gift - o how I wish i could write - i have so much to share especially from this past year but writing is just not a gift bestowed to me. How blessed you are to have such a talent.
reminder for the day.....
keep chasing rightouesness!!!
amen! finally! nothing we do for His glory is a "throw away"! the Lord is really revealing Himself to you in a mighty way!
Beautiful thoughts, beautiful post. May those words stay spoken over you in 2009 as you write...
I needed to read this today. I didn't want to get out of bed this morning. What does it matter?
I haven't had time to write this past month. I miss it, but I can't help but think, what does it matter? If I never wrote another word, would God care? Maybe I should focus more on other things.
Thank you for sharing this today.
D'Ann,
I've wondered if there was any reason to continue writing. And then God surprised me. Be that as it may, God called me to write, but not necessarily to be published. And I'm a different person now than I was in 2003 before I began trying to string words together that would speak to others. If that's what God had in mind, so be it. If He wants others to read my words, that's fine as well. But I know you, know your talent, and predict that you'll take that next step forward in the coming year. In the meantime, follow Him. We may feel lost. He never is.
Blessings.
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