Spiritual Practices for Writers: The Practice of Hoping

by Audrey Frank @AudreyCFrank

Join me the first Sunday of each month this year as we examine twelve spiritual practices for writers.

So, since we have such a hope, we act with great confidence (2 Corinthians 3:12, CEB).

What is the Christian writer’s hope?

We must consider our hope in the context of our qualification.

Some of us have degrees in journalism, creative writing, or publishing. Others have a laptop and a dream. Some writers are published; some are not. What qualifies the writer who follows Jesus?

This is the confidence that we have through Christ in the presence of God. It isn’t that we ourselves are qualified to claim that anything came from us. No, our qualification is from God. He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not based on what is written but on the Spirit, because what is written kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:4-6, CEB).

Our true confidence isn’t that we ourselves are qualified to claim that anything came from us. No, our qualification is from God. He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, one with words that give life through His Spirit.

Our degrees (I have three of them) do not grant us confidence before God. Our rejected manuscripts (I have many more than three of those) cannot prevent us from having confidence before God.

So where is your hope today?

The practice of hoping is futile on a lousy day and temporary on the best day if the source of our hope is ourselves. God has qualified us, Christian writers, as ministers of a new covenant that uses living words written by the Spirit of God. Think about that for a moment.

Our Word-Giver is the Word Himself (see John 1). Unlike Moses, we do not schlep stones up and down a mountain (however heavy our laptops may be). We are Christ’s letter, written on human hearts. (See 2 Corinthians 3:1-3) We were written by the Spirit of the living God. And this is our confidence and qualification to join Him in the continuing, glorious work of writing Christ on human hearts today.

The practice of hope begins each day with the right perspective. The hope of the Christian writer is in the finished work of Jesus. We have confidence through Him in the presence of God each morning. We remind ourselves as we sit down to write that today’s achievement is not because we are qualified to claim that anything came from us. No, our qualification is from God. His words give life, and we are His ministers of those life-giving words.

For the next month, try this:

Write the words of 2 Corinthians 2:4-6 and display them in your writing space. Before you begin to write each day, use the framework of confidence and qualification in this passage and practice hope. 

I wonder what you will write with such unshakable confidence?

Let me know!

Lord, refine my hope. Strengthen my confidence in the fact that my qualification is from You. And give me the will and the inspiration to write words that bring life. Amen.

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Spiritual Practices for Writers: The Practice of Hoping from @AudreyCFrank on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Don't Miss The Other Spiritual Practices for Writers!

JANUARY: THE PRACTICE OF PLANNING

FEBRUARY: THE PRACTICE OF TRUSTING

MARCH: THE PRACTICE OF HOPING

APRIL: THE PRACTICE OF WAITING

Audrey Frank is an author, speaker, and storyteller. The stories she shares are brave and true. They give voice to those whose words are silenced by shame, the hard things in life that don’t make sense, and the losses that leave us wondering if we will survive. Audrey and her family have spent over twenty years living and working among different cultures and world views, and she has found that God’s story of redemption spans every geography and culture. He is the God of Instead, giving honor instead of shame, gladness instead of mourning, hope instead of despair. Although she has three different degrees in communication and intercultural studies, Audrey’s greatest credential is that she is known and loved by the One who made her.

Audrey is the author of Covered Glory: The Face of Honor and Shame in the Muslim World (Harvest House Publishers), an outpouring of Audrey’s heart to introduce others to the God of Instead. Shame is not unique to the developing world, the plight of the women behind veils, young girls trafficked across borders; shame is lurking in hearts everywhere. Through powerful stories from women around the world, Covered Glory illuminates the power of the Gospel to remove shame, giving honor instead. Available at favorite booksellers: BARNES & NOBLE, BOOKS A MILLION, AMAZON.