Dear Writer, I hope you had a wonderful week and considered what it looks like to surrender to God’s “all” for your life! This week, we’ll explore the outcome of that surrender…
You see, when we begin to guard our hearts and surrender to God’s large plans for us, we begin to co-create with Him. When God created, He spoke words and birthed worlds. And here’s the thing: When we walk in surrendered stewardship, He can use our words to carry His creative power, too.
But before we dive in, let’s look at some others whose words birthed new worlds in the lives of countless others…
Birthing Worlds in History
Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller’s teacher, is a powerful example of a woman who birthed worlds. Struck blind and deaf by a childhood fever, Helen’s personal world became a prison with no escape, until Anne broke into Helen’s small world through finger-spelling the word “water.” In that moment, Helen’s eyes were opened to the world beyond her personal darkness. But here’s the thing…
It took Anne a full month of battle after battle to introduce the impetuous Helen to the concept of language. But once Helen tasted freedom, she became an insatiable student. Helen went eventually earned her bachelor’s degree and spent the rest of her life working to bring the freedom she’d found to other deaf and blind people, too.
You see, writer, sometimes getting the words inside into the hearts of readers takes persistence. Much like Anne persisted to reach Keller. But when we do, we have no idea what worlds of God’s truth, light, and life will be birthed in others, too.
Birthing Worlds in the Bible
Ezekiel is a singular example of God’s partnership with us to bring His words to life. When God questioned Ezekiel about the valley of dry bones, asking “Son of man, can these dry bones live?” Ezekiel quickly deferred back to God for the answer!
Interestingly, instead of answering directly, God gave Ezekiel a command. A command to speak His words over those dry bones to call them together and fill them with His breath. Ezekiel did as the Lord instructed, and the valley of bones was transformed into an army of the living God.
This vision is an astounding example of what happens when we release God’s words through our writing. His words can wake dead vision, hope, love, passion, and so much more, in the lives of our readers.
Birthing Worlds in Life
I breathed God’s words when I was a young girl struggling with farsightedness and thick, thick glasses. From the moment I got them, I hated my glasses and expressed that opinion loudly. My mother told me that if I didn’t like the lenses, I should pray and ask Jesus to heal me. Every day for months, I petitioned God for exactly that.
After several, my glasses began to bother me, and I was given a lighter prescription. Unsatisfied, I continued my daily prayer. After just a few more weeks, my glasses began to bother me again. My mother told me to put them, saying, “Your probably healed.”
Nearly twenty years later, I finally went to the eye doctor and found I had 20/20 vision! And here’s the thing…
Birthing Worlds in Your Life
It takes faith to breathe out God’s words. Or more specifically, it takes faith to believe our words are indeed words God wants to breathe. My childlike faith never considered whether God wanted to heal me. I just continued to speak it, until I recognized His reply.
In a similar way, as His writers, it’s critical to realize that if He’s called us, He intends to speak through us. And that realization gives us strength to faithfully steward and persist in breathing out those words. Because here’s the thing: Wherever God gives words, He fills them with power to create something in the lives of His people. Let me prove it to you…
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- For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. – Isaiah 55:10-11
- Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” – Jeremiah 1:12
- For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12
- And I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of my hand, establishing the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people. – Isaiah 51:16
You see, writer, God’s words are always an active force in the world. And the words He’s given us are no different. His words through us can unlock understanding, freedom, wisdom, healing—anything He pleases—in the lives of our readers. And once those worlds a birthed, they have a lasting effect on, not just our readers, but on everyone they come in contact with.
Where to Start with Birthing Worlds
So are you ready to consider what worlds God might want to breathe through your words? Here are some ideas to get you started…
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- Honor God’s Call. The first step in breathing out God’s words and worlds is simply to acknowledge that God’s call to write isn’t just a good idea. It’s a holy assignment. The good news is that the outcome of this assignment doesn’t rest solely on you. Our part is simply obedience. And when we recognize our call is God-given, we begin to treat it with the energy, intentionality, and respect it deserves.
- Partner with His Grace. Once you know your call is God-given, it’s important to recognize you absolutely cannot accomplish it in your strength. Partnership with God is key. And it’s not as mysterious as it sounds. Partnering with God begins by consistently asking Him for His help, listening for His guidance, and obeying what He shows you to do.
- Grow in Identity. It’s difficult to walk out our call, if we don’t know who we are in Christ. It can be too easy to look at our failings and weaknesses and disqualify ourselves from being gatekeepers of God’s glory. But when we grasp the depth of Christ’s work on the cross, we begin to realize His grace is indeed sufficient! And that His power is made perfect in our weakness. Spend time studying Christ’s work on the cross and who we’ve become in Him through our adoption as God’s sons & daughters. This will build your faith to begin writing “like ones declaring the very oracles of God.”
- Move in His Freedom. As you begin to breathe out His words, realize those words might look different than what’s been done before. Now that doesn’t mean we’re not to pursue excellence. But it does mean to press into Him for a strong understanding of the unique message He intends to share through you. Because here’s the thing…
God’s words are always creative, generative words. And God is always doing a new thing. Because here’s the deal: God’s heart is always to reveal more of Himself to us. He created the skies declare His glory. Then He gave us the scriptures. Then, the person of Christ Himself. Now, His Spirit within us continues to reveal the deep things of God.
You see, God desires to be known by all who will receive Him. That’s why your words are important. They are vehicles of God’s glory into lives that may never darken the door of a church. Just like Anne’s words reached Helen in her darkness. Just like Ezekiel’s God-words brought life to the hopelessly dead. Just like God used my prayers to restore my vision and birth a desire to see His power touch the lives of others.
So if you’ve wondered if your writing matters, or whether it’s worth walking the path of stewardship and surrender, I encourage you with a hearty “yes!” God’s looking for all who are willing to be vessels of His glory. He has a unique plan to reveal Himself through you. All it takes is our obedient “yes” as we trust Him to do through us all He’s said. And here’s the beautiful thing…
As we begin to breathe out His words, they not only birth His life, truth, and love in others, but bring more of Heaven to earth, too.
#words #worlds #identity #faith #EveryWriterWriting
