by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1-2 ESV)
I’m a big one to visit the world of what-if—especially when it comes to many aspects of writing. I do it when I’m writing, when I’m submitting, and especially when I’m marketing.
And I’ve discovered that what-if is a land of make-believe—as much of a haunted house as any we visit during this Halloween season.
It’s a world populated with all the scary—negative—things I can think up.
- My writing stinks
- I’m not a real writer
- No one will want to read this
- No one will publish this
- If it is published, no one will leave a review
- If they do leave a review, it will be negative
- My social media posts are worthless
- My marketing sounds like a traveling salesman
Truthfully, I could go on and on and on. My imagination is an expert at coming up with negative things—often aided and abetted by the enemy who whispers lies into my soul.
I’m far too familiar with this haunted house of what-if. I’ve visited there many times during my life. I know the rooms filled with of haunted corners, shadowy trapdoors, and mazes of punishing practices. I recognize them for their futility. Even with that recognition, if I’m not purposeful, what-if is still the first place I go when the writing life gets stressful.
I am spending less time there now because I’m quicker to recognize the dreary blueprint and leave. But it’s taken years to understand the path around (and out of) that haunted house is a journey of faith.
7 Ways a Writer Can Stay Out of the What-If Haunted House:
1. First, and foundationally, I pray. My prayer asks God to separate lies from truth. I don’t want only flattery, but I want truth that leads my writing to glorify God. If I dwell only on the negative, I can end up quitting instead of letting God use me for His work.
2. Stop and take a deep breath. I notice where I’m headed. Acknowledge the overwhelming urge to worry and fret and explore the haunted landscape of what if. By looking full on where we are going, we can make a deliberate decision to turn around.
3. I’ve learned to keep lists of the good things people have said about my writing and me as a writer. When the doubts intrude and my mind wanders toward this haunted destination, I pull out those lists and rehearse the positive.
4. I also go to Scripture. There are a lot of verses that can encourage us as writers. Here are two blog posts to help you find those that speak to you:
5. Call a writing friend. Changing from a worrier into a warrior needs the help of others. I find someone who will hold me accountable. Someone well-versed in Scripture and not prone to join me in the haunted land.
6. Choose to dwell in the land of certainty. The bible tells us we’re already citizens of heaven. Ephesians 2:6-7 gives us that: And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
7. Keep writing. I’ve found when I keep writing, it’s easier to stay out of the what if trap. I’ve also discovered that staying in God’s will (writing) derails the enemy and makes me stronger. If we can get sucked into the haunted what-if house, we become ineffective.
There are a lot of battles writers face. And many of them have to do with faith—faith God has truly called us and faith God can really use us in His work are two of the big ones. Both of these are fixtures in the Haunted house of what-if. But it’s our job to trust God and His purpose and stay out of the scary places our mind wants to visit.
A Prayer Asking for God to Deliver Me From What If
Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT)
Dear Lord, You are sovereign and You know the end from the beginning. Yet I act as if I don’t believe this foundational truth. I’m once again mired in the bog of what-if, and it’s sucking me under. Help me focus on You and leave this dreary place.
I’m such a control freak, and yet, I’m finding no comfort in the false belief that I can control the world around me. I wanted this writing thing to be easy and only filled with joy. I wanted the path I expected.
Since I can’t have my way, I want to understand my struggle. Chasing that answer has led me into the haunted house of what if. Everywhere I turn, I’m bombarded by the lies that say I’m not enough and never will be. Help me, Lord, to silence the voices. Show me the truth and where I need to grow. Most of all, fill me with the peace of knowing Your plan is still unfolding and You have plans far beyond what I can hope or imagine. Keep me from the nightmares of what if and cover me with your wings of love. Amen.
Now it's your turn. How do you avoid the haunted house of what-if? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Blessings,
Edie
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