Friday, August 5, 2016

Writing Success—Writing Against the Grain

by Bruce Brady @BDBrady007

But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy. ”But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the LORD his God and heal me!” (2 Kings 5:10-11)

How many times do we miss God’s miracles on our lives because He doesn't do things the way we expect?

Naaman nearly missed God’s healing because of his pride—his expecting God to do things his way. Fortunately, God offered Naaman one more chance at complete healing, and did so while dealing with Naaman’s pride as well. God delivered His second message of hope through Naaman’s servant. The servant encouraged Naaman by pointing out that Naaman had nothing to lose by doing it God’s way. Naaman listened, did as God instructed, and was healed.

All too often, we writers want God to help us get our stories—our messages—out to the public. But we want Him to do it our way. Then we’re confused, frustrated, even angry when it doesn’t work out. We want Him to bless us without our having to yield to His directions. And God doesn’t operate that way.

Throughout Scripture, God makes it very clear that His way is the best way. And His way is only offered to those who completely yield to His lordship. In Proverbs 16:9, He tells us that we can intricately plan everything in our lives, but He determines the process and outcome. We can’t refuse to do things His way and expect ultimate success. However, following His lead will produce the best possible outcome for each of us.

Some level of success can be reached by doing things our own way. But we need to understand that our way is inherently opposed to the Lord’s way. One of the enemy’s greatest tools is convincing us that we can do most everything on our own. We can achieve self-made successes. And some reach echelons of worldly success without God. But they still fall short of what they could accomplish with God.

Even if we manage to hang on to our earthly success until we take our last breath, is it worth losing our souls?

So how do we work with God to reach our greatest potential? He answers that question in the 9th chapter of Luke: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am.” (Luke 9:23 MSG) We don’t accomplish our best by telling God how He can help us. And He’s not open to mixing in our plans and ideas with His. We only reach our full potential when we completely surrender to His lead.

This means we don’t write to appease the worldly. We don’t include foul language, graphic violence, and explicit sex because we’re told that’s what readers want.

It means telling His truth. It means writing stories that show the benefits of fully following Him, and the consequences of following our own paths—Satan’s paths. It means working harder and maybe longer to get our tales just right without offending our Father.

Yes, being obedient to Him may be more difficult. And we may never reach the level of success we hope. But we will reach the levels of achievement that is best for each of us—those planned for us before our birth. And with them, He will bless us with the joy and peace that comes with knowing we are pleasing Him.

What do you say? Are you willing to accept the success God has in store for you? Bless you all. Let’s keep this conversation going in the comments.

TWEETABLE

Bruce Brady is an author, writer and playwright. His work has appeared in Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family, www.ChristianDevotions.us, and on stage. Currently, Bruce is working on a Young Adult Novel about a boy who must deal with the death of his dad, being bullied, and helping his mom through her grief. His first five pages took third place in the ACFW South Carolina Chapter’s “First Five Pages” contest.

When he’s not writing, Bruce spends time learning from and helping other writers. He serves as Mentor of Word Weavers International’s Online Chapter, and as a member of Cross ‘N’ Pens, The Writer’s Plot, ACFW’s National and South Carolina Chapters.

“My dream is to entertain my readers and give them hope as they travel the rocky road of life.”

21 comments:

  1. Bruce, you have said volumes here. Integrity, doing what's right even if it costs us something, and trusting God to use and advance our writing are the keys to real success. Could you hear me 'amening' you? Well said, brother. Preach it. :)

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    1. Thanks, Lori. I'm just writing what He tells me to. Thanks for confirming I'm doing what He wants. Have a blessed weekend.

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  2. Thank you, Bruce, for this cogent reminder that we must do our writing God's way, not our own, if we expect to be used of Him.

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    1. Thank you, Dennis. I've heard many times that we must write what people want today, and my soul aches every time. It took Him a while to get through to me, but I now understand we must write what people need. Have a blessed weekend.

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  3. You have no idea how I needed these words this morning. Not just for my writing, but for some things that are going on in our life right now. I will be coming back to this post throughout the next couple of days. Thanks for obeying the call to write this. Luke 9:23..."you're not in the driver's seat-I am."

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    1. Amen, Gail. And thanks for responding. It's interesting that He started me on this series of posts a couple of months before my church started a series on "Not a Fan." It's main focus is Luke 9:23. I pray the Lord uses this, and His Word of course, to help you through your current challenges. Have a blessed weekend.

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  4. Battling an illness greater than I can handle, I needed these words today. The fact that I am also a writer is a bonus.

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    1. Thanks for your kind words, April. You may know that I'm also battling a major illness that ONLY He can defeat. I'm happy these words served you. Keep the faith, and rely on Him. Have a blessed weekend.

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  5. Thank you, Mr. Brady, for your words of wisdom!


    Blessings,

    MaryAnn

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    1. Thank you MaryAnn. I pray they bless you. Have a joy-filled weekend.

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  6. Thank you Bruce. Just this morning I was contemplating hanging up my pen, shredding all my notes, and deleting all my computer files. Sometimes the journey seems to big, and I'm not getting any younger :-) Thanks for the encouragement.

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    1. You're welcome, Jocelyn. Never give up. Understand that writing for Him will be met with great resistance from the devil. I believe the greater the difficulties, the more you know you're doing the right thing. Keep the faith. And keep writing. Thanks. Have a blessed weekend.

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  7. Thanks, Bruce, for the reminder that His ways are best, even if the path seems to meander and not go where I expected.

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    1. Thank you, Jill. I've been traveling a meandering trail myself. However, every time I think of quitting, He shows me another thing to write, often what I didn't expect. Stay focused on and write for the Lord, and let Him take care of the results. Have a blessed weekend.

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  8. I have been struggling so much with this. I went to a Christian writers conference last year. I left feeling overwhelmed, under prepared and not "author-like" at all. As I've watched some of the facebook posts from women who attended the same conference talk about their new books, I saw that a high percentage of them are Christian Romance novels. That's not what I write. But apparently that's what people want. So do I do that? I do have a fiction book that I've started but I wouldn't call it a romance novel.

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    1. Hi Lisa. I understand your overwhelmed feeling. Don't let that dull your passion for writing. If God has called you to write, then you must write. You must write for Him, understanding that you may never be published, or you may be the next J.K. Rowling. It matters not. All that matters is your write for the Lord, and you write what He's leading you to write. Don't rob Him and yourself of His joy by writing for the public. Since the results are ultimately up to Him, relax and write the story He's giving you. However, this doesn't mean you shouldn't do all you can to improve your craft and learn the business. Do these things, but with assurance that He is your only audience. And if He decides to share your story with others, that's okay too. Thanks for stopping by and responding. Have a blessed weekend.

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  10. Bruce, your message was exactly what I needed to hear on this day. Blessings to you.
    Kathy Neely

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    1. Thanks, Kathy. I'm honored that He allowed me to take part in reaching you with a message you needed. I pray He continues to bless you in all your struggles. Have a blessed weekend.

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  11. Hi Bruce,

    I find writing prose and poetry to flow with little difficulty, but I desire to write fiction, and when I stripped down my latest story to primarily consist of dialog, I got my biggest criticism ever for telling, not showing. I am unsure if I should ever go back and try to revise that story even though my writer's group said the concept of the story is great.

    I am very discouraged. When I try writing fiction, it has started feeling like I am pushing a rock up the hill. In fact, I am currently paralyzed. Perhaps I am fighting against the Lord's will for me, but perhaps He truly wants me to have a breakthrough for His glory. I thrive on reading fiction, not non-fiction.

    Either way, I need to find contentment in the God who shows and doesn't just tell us what to do. So if you have any advice, I am glad to listen.

    Sincerely,

    Tina

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  12. Thanks Bruce! Sometimes my prayers sound like God's "to-do" list. Often I can only see one way, my way, to solve a problem. Just today I pleaded long and hard with my heavenly Father, asking for help with my tendency to see every situation needing a financial solution (think lottery.) I know better, but it's so easy to fall into the "I know best" trap.

    Having just published my first book, I've started a second one, but with much less confidence. I'm surrounded by Christian Romance writers, but I'll never be one of them. Finding my niche is important to me now. I know God wants me to use this gift to glorify Him.

    Bob

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