Dear, writer, I hope you had a beautiful week and considered what might be holding you back in your writing journey! This week, we’re going to explore more deeply the freedom God’s given us as creatives.
You see, sometimes, we’ve prayed and planned and feel as though we’ve not received specific divine direction. But here’s the thing. There are times God grows us to a place, where we clearly understand His trajectory for us and can boldly make choices within that trajectory.
You see, writer, God doesn’t like to micromanage us. When we reach certain levels of maturity, He gives us the freedom to pursue His heart. Sometimes, our largest tether is simply the fear of using that freedom and making mistakes along the way. But learning to lean into Him as we use our freedom is one of the most beautiful places to be.
But before we dive in, let’s look at some others whose exercise of freedom accomplished amazing things…
Freedom in History
George Whitfield is a powerful example of a man who moved in freedom. When Whitfield was not awarded a position to preach in the Anglican Church, he boldly took to the fields and city streets to proclaim the good news of salvation. Though such preaching was deemed highly improper at the time, Whitfield employed all his training in theater and of dramatic storytelling to capture the hearts of his listeners with the Gospel.
As a result, many other preachers began preaching in the streets and fields, and many who never would have darkened a church door heard the life-saving news of Jesus. Whitfield’s work was a key spark in the Great Awakening.
Freedom in the Bible
Jonathan is another beautiful example of godly freedom. The son of King Saul, Jonathan walked in the confidence of that sonship and as a son of God. While he and his father were warring against the Philistines, Jonathan and his armor bearer came upon a Philistine outpost. Though he had no divine direction to attack, Jonathan drew confidence in his God-given identity and boldly approach the garrison with a simple request of God…
If the Philistines challenged him to come up, Jonathan would attack. If they did not, Jonathan would retreat. The Philistines brazenly taunted Jonathan and his armor-bearer to approach them! Jonathan, trusting God had honored his bold prayer, routed the entire Philistine garrison that day.
You see, writer, we may not always have a direct word from God, but as we begin to walk in His identity for us, it positions us to do audacious things for Him.
Freedom in Life
I walked in bold freedom when my neighbor invited me to help start a Christian writers conference. I didn’t fast and pray over my answer. I knew if he was asking me, God was in it. So I dove boldly in. Immediately, God met that choice with illumination and wisdom to walk with my new business partner.
When that first year was done, to my surprise, God led my neighbor to hand off the fledgling conference to me. We are now in our fifth year, and God has freed many others as a result of that first bold step of freedom.
Freedom in Your Life
You see, writer, sometimes we may seek long and hard, but God desires to grow us to a place where we understand his heart and can act courageously in His stead even when He doesn’t speak. Does that sound wild to you? Just think of this…
We are the bride Christ. This also means we are the wife of Christ. What true husband wants a wife he must continually micromanage? In a healthy relationship, spouses begin to understand one another and can know and enact the other’s wishes even when absent. And it’s the same with God. Let me prove it to you…
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- I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. – Galatians 4:1-7
- For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. – James 1:23-25
- But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. – Hebrews 5:14
- Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. – Ephesians 5:15-17
- I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:1-2
You see, writers, as we grow into maturity, we understand more of God’s heart. That maturity comes through the renewal of the mind, through the active practice of discernment, through the mistakes we make, through the victories we achieve, and especially through obedience. Because here’s the thing…
We can easily be caught in a trap of wanting everything figured out first. But as we grow, our hearts are shaped more like His, and we can begin to trust the desires in our hearts are actually from Him. And we can begin to see, as we move, those desires confirmed by Him and by the witness of His word. When we do that, His word comes alive in us and begins to ignite in the lives of others, too.
Where to Start with Freedom
So are you ready to walk boldly in Christ’s freedom? Here are some things to keep in mind…
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- Don’t Fear Mistakes. As we follow the desires God’s placed on our hearts, we’re bound to make mistakes. Don’t let fear of those mistakes stop you! They are simply part of learning to walk more and more closely with Him.
- Stay Engaged. As you move in bold freedom, stay prayerfully engaged with God. You see, though we may not always get direct answers, as we exercise our faith by moving forward, we begin to recognize more and more ways God speaks to and directs us.
- Stay Connected. In addition to remaining engaged with God, remain engaged with His body throughout the process. One of the main channels God speaks through is His body. Whether through a sermon on Sunday morning or timely counsel from a godly friend.
- Ask & Expect Big. When we move boldly in Christ’s freedom, it expands our faith. We should never fear to ask big things with regard to His call for our lives. Such prayers and expectation honor Him. As we trust Him more and more to guide us through this dance, we begin to realize how much He trusts us. Because here’s the thing…
God wants our trust. But He never requires something He hasn’t given us first. Just think of all the opportunities He’s trusted us with, knowing ahead of time which occasions we would rise to and which we would fumble. But here’s the thing…
God trusts us because He has no doubts whatsoever about His ability to perfect our work—mistakes and all—through the redeeming power of His Holy Spirit as we continue to trust in Him. Hebrews 10:14-16 says, “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds…”
Just as He placed His passion in Whitfield’s heart. Just as He supplied Jonathan’s strength. Just as He continually provides wisdom, people, and resources needed to equip His writers at Experience Writing.
When we are willing to risk bold things for Him in alignment with His word to us, He meets those needs in miraculous ways that demonstrate His power, goodness, and glory to the watching world.
So I encourage you, today, if there is something burning on your heart, perhaps you don’t need more learning or equipping. Perhaps you need to take a bold step of faith toward that dream and see how God will step in to lead and supply you along the way. He truly does work all things together for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purposes.
Be brave, my friends!
#bold #faith #freedom #EveryWriterWriting
