How do you persevere, writer?
Well, we know what perseverance can look like. Like a marathoner sweating it to the finish line. And we also know what perseverance doesn’t look like. It doesn’t look like distraction or dissipation or disinterest.
But how do we become marathoners in our writing? After all—no true champion turned to into a person of perseverance overnight. No, it took time, training, and intentionality. And most importantly, it took exercise.
So what does that look like for us? The answer is in Psalm 32…
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
You see, writer, there are two kinds of exercise we can engage in with the Lord. We can we can exercise our trust in His forgiveness of our sins in our minds and hearts to free ourselves of weights He never meant for us to carry. Or, we can strain our souls dragging around things His blood already paid for. Weights that keep us from writing well. Weights like guilt. Shame. Fear.
Have you struggled with some of those things, writer? If you have, our King has a simple solution…
5I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah6 Therefore let everyone who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
7 You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
Freedom often comes simply from acknowledging our struggle and surrendering to Him. And often, that is half the battle as we “exercise” our minds to align with His—dropping those unnecessary weights at the foot of the cross! Back to marathons…
Now, after losing the extra weight and getting in shape, there are also things a marathoner does—special habits and disciplines—that help them grow and excel in their skill.
Now, here’s the thing. We have the same need, too—to adopt habits and patterns that will help grow our writing. And just like a marathoner, each one of us is unique. No standardized set of habits or patterns will work for everyone. Each athlete has unique physical needs and requirements, and it’s the same with our writing. Our work and the way we do it is different from the next writer! So how do you find out what habits and patterns are for you? Again, our King has a simple solution…
8I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.
Our King promises to guide us and teach us as lean on Him for instruction! We simply have to come.
Once the body is ready and the disciplines are are in place, the only thing that can stop a marathoner—or us—is our own minds. You see, writer, perseverance becomes nearly impossible when we’re overcome by worry. Especially worry over whether or not we’ll make it to the finish line! The surest way to fail a thing is to dread that our mistakes and shortcomings have disqualified us. But for this our King has another promise…
Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Our job, writer, is to focus on the Lord and on doing our best in the moment by His strength. When we intentionally use His word and what we know of His character to replace our worry with trust and joy, we find we can walk in His strength and endure to the end!
So if you’re feeling weary today, writer, I encourage you to look up! Seek your King for the strength and the wisdom you need to keep going. He won’t fail to see you through!
#run #perseverance #writing #repentance #everywriterwriting
