“Courage to Embrace Freedom”
Dear writer, I hope you had a beautiful week and had a chance to dig in and begin uncovering your “why.” This week, we want to take a step back and look at the things that would try to divert you from that “why” and derail you from your writing journey.
You see, writer, we all have many things vying for our attention, and in the midst of our busy lives, it is critical that we accurately see and prioritize life’s demands. Those that are legitimate and those that are not. Because here’s the thing…
There will always be a reason NOT to write. If stories are seeds, there will always be weeds that try to usurp their rightful place. The first key to overcoming distraction is simply to have enough wisdom to recognize weeds and distractions for what they are. But, before we dive in, let’s take a look at some others who were able to identify and overcome distraction in order to reach their goals.
Removing Distractions in History
Rees Howells is a great example of a man who removed distraction in order to reach His God-given goals. As a young believer, God called Rees to the life of an intercessor. But early in his walk, Rees was convicted by the Lord that he valued the opinion of man too much. God led him to live life like a homeless man for years to root this mindset out of him. When God later called Rees to build a Bible college, Rees did so in complete freedom from his old fear of man.
When World War II broke out, Rees boldly suspended classes for months, assembling the students instead to intercede and refusing to stop until they, like Daniel, had assurance that their prayers had been heard and were being answered. This little-known work of intercession changed the trajectory of world history, but it never would have happened if Rees hadn’t uprooted first removed his distracting fear of man.
You see, writer, many distractions begin between our ears—in our minds—with wrong thoughts and mindsets that undermine our ability to do the writing God’s asked of us. Often, identifying distractions begins by simply removing any lies or limiting beliefs that would try to keep us from writing consistently and with confidence.
Removing Distractions in the Bible        Â
Daniel is another excellent example of a man who identified and removed distractions. Though he served a pagan king, Daniel maintained his faith in the one true God. When his malefactors created a law against prayer to ensnare him, Daniel counted these very real threats as what they were—a distraction—and persisted in his devotion to the Lord. When he was inevitably sentenced to the lion’s den, Daniel maintained his focus on the Lord—and God rewarded his unswerving faith. Not only was Daniel rescued from the lion’s den, but his act of devotion and God’s response sparked a proclamation from the king that all in his kingdom must reverence and fear the God of Daniel.
You see, writer. Sometimes the threats and distractions against our God-given call are very real. But here’s the beautiful thing. When we faithfully pursue the word God has given us—no matter what—it opens the door for Him to display His miraculous power in and through us in ways we never imagined.
Removing Distractions in Life
I overcame distraction when I realized, after a three month stay in Uganda, my own proclivity to visual distraction and attacked it head on. You see, I used to be distracted by the books in my office and the movies in my glassed-in entertainment center. Not that I was always watching movies and reading. Far from it! But any time I passed them, they caught my eye, and I was reminded of the last thing I watched or read or learned or needed to read or… You see where I am going? The funny thing is, I didn’t even recognize this as a distraction until I was without it in Uganda. Until I was without it and actually accomplished my first large goal. Returning home, I quickly removed the books to the garage and hid the movies, and my productivity leapt as I was able to focus and finish many projects.
Here’s the thing writer. Sometimes removing distractions is about great big things in life. But sometimes, it’s about being willing to do the small unconventional things that you know would make a difference. Because here’s the real deal…
Anything that tries to come between you and our true freedom to pursue God’s call in your life should be considered an enemy. That doesn’t mean the thing is necessarily bad. But a good thing out of place is bad. After all, a dandelion in a field can be lovely, but a dandelion in your garden bed will threaten to overtake your other plants. And if you’ll notice, writer, a call to write is a special call. You will sometimes need to take special measures to reach your goal. Don’t believe me? Let me show you…
- No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. – 2 Timothy 2:4
- So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. – 1 Corinthians 9:26-27
- Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. – 1 Timothy 4:14-16
- I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. – 2 Timothy 1:6-7
Did you catch that, writer?There is an element of courage required—whether large or small—to do something wildly different than what we’re used to or what’s considered normal. And it’s the same with you. In a culture of distraction, it will take courage to live differently, whether that’s on a big or small scale, in order to accomplish your God-given dream.
But here’s the beautiful thing. If you’ll notice as with Rees and Daniel and myself, with that courage, there was a freedom, and in that freedom, others were also set free. It was in rooting out fear of man that freed Rees to have God’s vision as an intercessor…and that vision multiplied to his student who changed the outcome of a war. Daniel’s freedom from fear of death made space for God to show His glory to a pagan nation. My freedom to move my library to my garage freed me to begin writing books of my own.
So are you ready to begin recognizing and removing the distractions in your life? Here are a few things to get you started.
- Know Yourself. As you see to remove distractions, ask God to reveal any lies you’ve believed or destructive habits that have seemed “normal.” As you begin to recognize those lies replace them with the truth of God’s word, who He is, and who You are in Him. Speak and pray these truths over your life regularly until the lie is rooted out.
- Track Your Habits. As you begin rooting out distractions, it’s a good idea to track your time and see where you actually spend it. Ask the Lord to reveal any destructive habits that seemed “normal.” As you notice those time-thieves, ask the Lord for wisdom about how to do things differently.
- Know Your Priorities. Prayerfully ask the Lord what your priorities are for this season. What are the key relationships? What is your main work? List any responsibilities you currently have and every role you currently fill and prayerfully examine: are these from the Lord? As what is and isn’t, ask Him for wisdom and grace to remove or reduce or reframe what’s not a priority.
- Know Your Next Step. – With any God-given vision, there is always some small step we can take forward. When life and demands seem to overwhelm us, we simply need to find that next right step and simply take it—like Daniel did. As we are faithful to simply put one foot in front of the other, it is amazing how God will lead us into the next step.
Regardless of the distraction, big or small, real or imagined, tangible or intangible, there is always a way forward in the Lord. He is the one who gives strength to the weak and whose understanding no man can fathom.  Because here’s the beautiful thing.
Getting rid of distractions is really about learning to trust God with the things we can’t possibly control, while taking full responsibility for the things we can. It’s about having the humility to let God be God and to set up the boundary lines of our lives as He pleases. It’s about embracing the courage and discipline that like athlete will free us for the life He’s truly designed us to live as writers. Because, here’s the real deal…
As we say “no” to distraction and open ourselves up to God in a holy “yes,” He begins to fill us in new and deeper ways. And guess what? That love and light begins to pour through us into the pages of our stories…
Just like Rees’s “no’ to the fear of man opened the door for his courageous intercession that tipped the scales of a war. Just like Daniel’s “no” to intimidation revealed the power and glory of God across a pagan nation. Just like my “no” to an average household opened me to reach into other’s homes with the truth.
So, I encourage you today. If you have struggled with distraction, know that the fight is worth it. And now that you are not alone! Your King and advocate is with you working in you to will and to act according to His good pleasure as you work out your faith in reverence of Him. And as you stretch yourself, leaning into His strength, you have no idea how deep or far His light will begin to grow and spread in and through you.
#courage #vision #EveryWrtierWriting
