Learning to Approach Your Writing Goals With Open Hands

The New Year is almost here, and many of us are setting goals to ensure 2022 is our best year yet. Responding to God's call to write words that compel others to follow Him rarely includes specific directions for the journey. After eight years of writing, I still don't have a solid plan in place, but here’s what I'm learning along the way …

The New Year is almost here, and many of us are setting goals to ensure 2022 is our best year yet. The first step in the believer’s goal-setting process is to pray. When we set goals God’s way, He helps us achieve them faster and more often than those who fail to take the approach of PRAY-oritizing and pursuing His purposes seriously.

Responding to God’s call to write words that compel others to follow Him rarely includes specific directions for the journey. After eight years of writing, I still don’t have a solid plan in place, but I’m learning that’s OK as long as I’m more attentive to the One who called me than to my calling itself.  

I never aspired to be a writer; writing was a hobby until God turned it into a holy passion when spending time with Him became my priority each day. The process feels natural and easy when I write out of the overflow of my time with Him. But something shifts when I sit down to write for someone else; writing this article, for example, I’ve started no fewer than six times in the last two weeks and until today couldn’t get past the first paragraph. Can you relate to my frustration?

No matter my struggle, God is most faithful to provide the solutions I need through the pages of Scripture. Mary and Martha are the main characters in today’s lesson. Do you remember what Jesus said to Martha when she expressed frustration because Mary spent time in His presence instead of helping her in the kitchen? 

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42, ESV)

Only God can take a story we’ve read many times and use it as a fresh revelation applicable to our current needs. Both Mary and Martha wanted to serve Jesus, but the difference was the posture of their hearts. Martha was distracted; she was serving out of duty and as an avenue to seek acceptance while Mary was surrendered, serving out of devotion.

Writing in hopes of having our words published brings added pressure to perform; we can lose track of time, looking for words that will resonate with the most people instead of writing from a place of servitude to the Lord. If we’re not careful, what began from a place of devotion can quickly turn into self-promotion. 

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. (Proverbs 16:9) 

Mary understood the secret of surrender, and I believe that’s the lesson God wants us to remember when trying to achieve our writing goals. When my words dry up, I’m learning to step away from what I’m writing and intentionally surrender it back to Him. When we place what He’s given us back into His hands, we no longer have a possession — we have a ministry!

The New Year is almost here, and many of us are setting goals to ensure 2022 is our best year yet. Responding to God's call to write words that compel others to follow Him rarely includes specific directions for the journey. After eight years of writing, I still don't have a solid plan in place, but here’s what I'm learning along the way …

 

Blessings,

Kelly Kirby Worley

How do you approach your writing dreams and goals? Do you ask God to bless what you’ve already done? Or do you surrender your dreams completely to His plans before, during and after you’ve done your work?

Share

Kelly is a marketing-savvy Christian communicator, writer and artist passionate about encouraging and empowering women to trust God and know who they are in Christ. She serves as a volunteer leader for a COMPEL Critique Group and is a member of the COMPEL Training blog writing team. You can follow Kelly's writing on Instagram @kellykirbyworley or connect through her website: www.kellykirbyworley.com.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

  1. ‘Surrender’ I needed this reminder today. Thank you Kelly.

  2. Thanks for that. Pray-oritizing.

  3. Rebecca Skandalaris: January 13, 2022 at 5:02 pm

    I agree with Janet Richey’s statement – God is so amazingly faithful. I recently joined COMPEL, and I finished the orientation trainings today. Upon completing the videos, I wrote in my prayer journal asking God to provide some guidance. This is the first article God led me to after my prayer, and it was absolutely what I needed to hear in order to move forward with surrender! Thank you!

  4. It’s hard to get off that hamster wheel of writing something out of devotion to God, getting praise for it, and then writing the next piece, motivated by that praise. My blog has been in some corner of the internet, gathering dust for a year now, and am finally seeing that I have lost my focus (On Him). It’s difficult to manage confidence with humility. Life circumstances have derailed my morning devotional, and your message is the reminder I needed. So glad I stopped, and took the time to read it. God is so amazingly faithful.

  5. Elizabeth clipp: December 28, 2021 at 3:36 am

    I enjoy reading and writing ✍️ and sharing about Jesus , specially with children and older folks .