I’ve never written a response post before, so today will be a first. The lovely, spitfire authoress Jenny Freitag (who penned Plenilune, a book I want to read one day) over at The Penslayer wrote a post the other day called Why NOT Being a Prolific Writer is a Godsend. Now, I agree with/am inspired by a number of Jenny’s posts, but something she said in this one burrowed under my skin and stuck there. So I’m pondering it in the form of a blog post.
The Lord doesn’t need you + you don’t know what you’re talking about. If you possibly think you know enough to “write” for the Lord, you know nothing of the smallness of man nor the immensity of God. Do as Job did, and put your hand over your mouth. Be humble. God has left his written witness. My fiction – your fiction – none of it is necessary.
I confess, I blinked at my screen and did a double take at that first phrase: the Lord doesn’t need you. I won’t presume to know all the thoughts and intentions behind Jenny’s statement, but I’m bothered enough to want to unpackage and sift this for myself. Cool?
God is infinite. Infinitely complete, infinitely self-sufficient. So of course He doesn’t need me. Need is felt only by finite beings. He has and is everything. The creation of the world and of mankind was not done out of a vacancy of God’s. It was not because He was somehow lacking. No, He spoke creation into being because He wanted to. It was what He desired, and it brought Him pleasure.
But the Lord I’m spending my life getting to know does want me. After all, He brought me into existence. And every page of the Bible is evidence that He wants to love me, wants me to love Him back, and basically wants to have every piece of myself. And He shows me the way to live a life that builds His Kingdom. One way I can do that is through my writing.
If you possibly think you know enough to “write” for the Lord, you know nothing of the smallness of man nor the immensity of God.
Maybe this is just arguing semantics, but by “writing for the Lord” do you mean “writing in service of the Lord” or “writing because He can’t speak loud enough on His own?”
“For the Lord” in the sense of a lesser being serving a higher one–or in the sense of fulfilling someone’s lack? I can bake muffins for you because I like you and want to give you something that will bring you pleasure, or I can bake muffins for you because you can’t/are too busy/don’t know how/don’t want to.
All it takes is for me to look up at the stars on a dark night to recognize the smallness of man and the immensity of God–only a scrap of it, you understand, because my finite mind cannot truly comprehend the infinite. But if I say that I write for the Lord, I don’t say so under any delusion that He somehow needs me to. As if His plan would fall apart if I didn’t.
And yet! And yet . . . one of the greatest mysteries of all is how a God so indescribably powerful would choose to give such a measure of authority to earthen vessels, human beings. How He would choose to do His work not with a bang and a flash of lightning and an instantaneous solution, but through the slow, painful process of moving in and through mankind. Through flawed, limited people. Yes, through me.
Does He need me? Isn’t He capable of accomplishing whatever He wants no matter what I do? Yes. And also no.
This mystery confounds me. It’s like prayer. He doesn’t need us to tell Him what we’re thinking and what we need, because He already knows. But for the purpose of relationship and the maturing of our faith, He wants us to pray. There’s a big difference between needing and wanting. I don’t think we realize the full extent of our prayers’ impact. Prayer is needed.
None of it is necessary.
I see where you’re coming from–you’re speaking to those of us whose heads have gotten too big, those of us who pressure ourselves to write, write, write, because there are SOULS TO SAVE. Those of us who stagger under the unrealistic pressure we’ve heaped upon our own shoulders. I get that.
But every mile of road has two miles of ditch. The opposite swing of the pendulum is one which causes us to throw up our hands and weigh our writing too lightly. If my writing is not necessary, then why do it? It’s too much work and pain and bloodshed to press on if it doesn’t matter anyway. (But there’s the rub–maybe it really is unnecessary, and yet it still matters. Maybe it’s something I don’t have to do, but when I do it, it makes a difference. Or maybe it is necessary. I’m not 100% sure.)
This post is all over the place . . . But that’s the shape of my pondering, so I won’t apologize.
I think this has become more of a spinoff than a response post, because Jenny’s aim was one thing and my thoughts have veered off on another that’s rather tangential. She was speaking to relieve the pressure we place on ourselves to produce copious amounts of story, and here I am talking about the necessity-or-not of writing and whether God needs it or wants it of us. (Sorry, Jenny.)
For me, writing falls under the umbrella of living well, of making use of everything God has given me. For me, writing is one means of discovering Him and in the process, sharing His light with those who may read my words. Do I feel worthy of such a task? Not at all. But God seems to have a penchant for using the unworthy. If I can be an instrument in His hands, that’s incredibly humbling and brings me such joy. If He can shine through the chinks in my stories, then I will keep penning those tales.
"But every mile of road has two miles of ditch." That's a good picture. I may have to use that, if I have your permission.
Interesting topic. I went and had a look at Jenny's post. It does have a point about not getting weighed down with a religious spirit in writing. On the other hand, I suspect that God takes a certain delight in seeing his children being creative.
Certainly! I actually heard it first from my pastor, and have since found it a handy image to apply to many situations. 🙂
I do agree with her point that we shouldn't be weighed down with a religious spirit. "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." I don't think writing, or anything else we do for God, should become heavy with religion. That doesn't seem to be what Jesus had in mind. And I most definitely agree with you–God does take delight in our creativity! After all, aren't we mimicking THE Creator?
Thanks for the thoughtful comment, Blue!
Thank you for this, Tracey!! This post was wonderful!! 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it! And thanks again for sharing it on your blog. <3
When I saw the title of this post, I winced because I knew what you were talking about… I saw that post and it… made me feel kinda worthless? I know we should be humble, but there's a difference between that and feeling unloved by God. I agree there are two sides to things, but thank you for posting this response, Tracey. 🙂 It's a really beautiful and thoughtful post.
I don't try to put a "message" in my stories at all, but I do think that God CAN use people's books, even if He doesn't "need" to, and also largely WHEN they're just trying to write a good story without thinking too much about what "message" they're trying to tell — because then sometimes He makes it work out better than we could have. Some of the deepest, truest things I've learned in my spiritual walk with the Lord have come from fiction books, pointing to God's Word in a way that made me understand the Bible better. Just my two cents. *shrug*
I think creatives of all stripes and colors are plagued by enough self-doubt as it is, without anyone adding their voice to the whispering thoughts we battle.
That's true, there's a very big difference between humility and feeling unloved or worthless. Humility doesn't mean thinking of yourself LESS. It means holding others up as MORE. You can hold your own head high and still be humble, as long as God and other people come ahead of yourself. (But that's another topic for another post, perhaps?) I'm just really glad you enjoyed this ramble. ^_^
I used to work at putting messages into my stories (ugh…), but these days, it springs up naturally–and it frequently surprises me. God uses my practice of writing to lead me to Himself oftentimes, and themes crop up without my consciously planting them. I love what you said: "WHEN they're just trying to write a good story without thinking too much about what 'message' they're trying to tell." That's a big key to avoiding preachiness, methinks. *nods* I can't count the number of books that have, as you said, taught me deep, true things that caused me to understand God better! SO MANY. And I am far richer for them.
I agree, it is important. God gave us gifts with the intention of us using them. We write to glorify him, it's not that he needs it, but we do. We like to fee, we can give God something as humble as it is.
I think I know what Jenny was trying to say, but it came across rather condescending.
Yes! To be given a gift and not to use it would be so sad, and not at all what the gift was meant for. (Like the man who buried his master's talents, huh?)
I liked her point about quality over quantity–I would much rather write a few really good books over my lifetime than piles and piles of books that are subpar! But there was something in the post that rubbed me wrong, yes.
I love this post! It's so true – God doesn't "need" us, but He WANTS us – desperately, passionately, with a love so strong it can be called "need" when speaking in everyday human terms. Sure, He doesn't need us to work for Him – but He WANTS us to work for Him. On another note, WE need to work for Him. If we're not doing what we do for God, why do it at all? It's true that our work has precious little meaning when compared with God's work, and that's precisely why we need to join our work to God, let it spring from a love of Him.
Oh, I'm not being very eloquent. 😛 Just know that I love this post and could hardly agree more. 🙂
That's a really interesting point, Lucy–that it's such a passionate wanting that our everyday terms would call it a need. And yes, WE need to live our lives as a response to His grace…to use what we're given to bring Him glory and to touch those around us. And yet another "yes" to that statement about our work having little meaning apart from God. 🙂
You expressed yourself very well, and I'm glad you enjoyed! 😀
Oooh, this is deep. Beautiful, beautiful post!
I can kind of get where Jenny was coming from, I think. We DO expect a little too much of ourselves and our books, and can try a little TOO hard to put "God messages" in each book, if you know what I mean. But as Christians, I am a firm believer in using our talents to glorify God's kingdom. God put this passion of writing inside me, and I want to bounce it back to Him. Oswald Chambers talks a lot about not hoarding all the gifts God gives you for yourself. We should give it right back, spread it across the world.
With that said, I go back to my original point of putting a little too much effort in shoving messages into our works. Used to I always tried too hard to put as much God stuff in my novels as I could, and it all sounded so forced and unnatural. These days, I don't even think about the "message" of my book. I just write it. And every. single. time. A message comes out on its own. God reveals stuff to *me* through my own works when I don't force it. It's just natural.
And I'm just going off everywhere here. I guess what I'm trying to get at here is, Jenny made a point in not weighing ourselves down with forcing God in our books. BUT I agree 100% with everything you said. God doesn't NEED us, but He wants us. He CHOSE us to expand His kingdom. And that thought makes me feel more loved and blown away than anything else in the world.
All I know is with every single book I write, I feel fulfilled and closer to God. I don't want to force biblical messages in them, but I will never, ever stop writing FOR Him.
Thank you! ^.^
There were certainly parts of her post that I agree with–such as writing WELL instead of MUCH, and how we expect too much/try too hard to shoehorn Christian messages into our fiction.
I used to do that too, and boy was it bad! 😛 YES, I LOVE HOW YOU PUT THAT. He reveals things to me too as I write, and sometimes it's after I've left the keyboard and am off doing something else, and just ruminating on the story–then bam. Something hits me. And I'm awed and inspired… and then the next time I write, more often than not I'm so wrapped up in the story that I nearly forget that 'theme,' and so it continues to weave itself in without deliberate thought.
I'm actually learning a lot on that topic in The Creative Way course I'm taking. About how our writing should be a journey of discovery, rather than a means to explain or convey truth. Because when it's our *own* journey, the truth will show itself naturally.
ANYWAY. I'm going off all over the place too. XD Much nodding and heartfelt agreement to what you said: "And that thought makes me feel more loved and blown away than anything else in the world." <3
I enjoyed reading this post, Tracey! I love how you worded so much of this, especially: "How He would choose to do His work not with a bang and a flash of lightning and an instantaneous solution, but through the slow, painful process of moving in and through mankind. Through flawed, limited people. Yes, through me." It's so humbling.
It's true we have to think of what we mean by "need". Sure, God doesn't "need" us, but He does want us, or else He wouldn't have created us and provided salvation for us.
I also like what you said about prayer, and how it applies to everything, that God doesn't "need" us to pray or write or whatever, but He does want us to, and we might miss out on something important or special if we choose not to pray or act or anything. Prayer certainly grows our relationship with Him. <3
Thank you muchly! It IS incredibly humbling to realize that God loves to use us imperfect people. And that He *wants* us, too. Wow.
And not praying/not writing/not acting would let so many good things go "unhappened," so to speak. Because praying and acting and all of that have the potential to make a big difference in our lives and other's lives as well.
Thanks for reading, E! Glad you enjoyed. <3
For anyone interested, Jenny's comments on her post have helped to clarify and elaborate on her original point. 🙂 If you read her post, I recommend checking back on the comments section.
That was so interesting! I never thought of it like that! I know that writing is what I want to do, but I never knew it's not what God NEEDS. Thank you for sharing this with us, Tracey!
Hey, welcome to Adventure Awaits, Anika! Great to see you here. 🙂
It's freeing to realize that, isn't it? That He doesn't NEED us to write, but WANTS us to. Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow, so well spoken, Tracey! I couldn't have said it better myself (which isn't really a surprise). I can't say I disagree with anything you said, and your response post was both encouraging and a fresh reminder of our place in the writing world! Now I'm interested in reading Jenny's post…Keep up the awesome posts, Tracey!
Thank you, Amy! I'm glad you walked away encouraged. 🙂 I recommend reading Jenny's post too. She had a couple of great points that I do agree with (such as our writing being incapable of saving a soul, and how quality is more important than quantity anyway). Either way it's good to get a look at the flipside of the coin!
I agree with what you're saying. That excerpt you showed is a bit miffing. I mean I get what she's saying, but I'm not 100% with it.
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If you haven't yet, I'd recommend reading the comments on her post. Her clarification that our writing can't do what the Gospel does (save someone) put her post in a bit of a different light. 🙂
I love this! I'm thinking about this hymn, I can't remember what it's called or who it's by ("well, why not look it up, Emily?!" Shut up) but it has this line about "our worthlessness", but when we sang it one time our church our minister was like "this is a great hymn but we're changing worthlessness to unworthiness because Jesus did not die for something worthless".
I was like O.o o.O
I think about that hymn/that day quite a lot.
The other thing my minister says is, when we're doing communion, "we don't take communion because we have to remind God of his covenant. We take it because we are his children. A parent knows their child's needs before that child asks, often before the child knows themselves, but it still gives a parent so much joy for their child to come to them and say, 'Daddy, will you help me?'"
So yeah.
On the topic of writing, I really do think of it as using the gifts God has given me in whatever way I can. Maybe I'm not evangelising the way I would be if I were a missionary or in ministry, but I am reflecting the creativity of my Creator, and that says something.
Again, I love love loved this post. Also I think you handled the whole response thing really well, making clear you weren't stamping on Jenny's opinion/words 🙂
Thank you! I like that your church changed it to unworthiness–that's more accurate. (There are so many beautiful hymns out there, but also many theologically incorrect ones, I find.) Because Jesus's sacrifice was obviously for something HUGELY worthwhile, and yet it was needed because of our unworthiness. Interesting how one word speaks of value, and the other of behavior.
Oh, so true! I love that picture of a child asking their daddy for help. <3 Communion also reminds ME of God's covenant, His faithfulness, and His love.
Yes, those are my thoughts too. There are many ways to use our gifts, many ways to serve God with them, and one way is through the written word. And yes, reflecting His creativity is one of the most amazing things ever! I think He must enjoy OUR enjoyment when we get caught up in the thrill of creating.
Thank you muchly, Em! I'm glad it came off that way, because I wanted to respond respectfully. ^_^