“How to Keep Writing”
Dear, writer, I hope you had a great week and found ways to increase your consistency in writing! But sometimes, even with the best laid plans, we still find ourselves feeling stuck. So this week, we’re going to take a look at how to keep going. How to keep writing when you face difficulties, obstacles, trials, and writer’s block. Because if God’s given you a call to write, He will always give you a way to keep moving forward.
To get started, let’s take a look at some examples of those who persevered through difficulty and pain to reach their goals.
Perseverance in History
Corrie Ten Boom is an amazing example of a woman who worked past all obstacles. After a failed romance, she became the first woman to be certified as a watchmaker as she regularly ministered to teenage girls and the needy, including many Jews. When then Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands (Corrie’s homeland), Corrie and her family were not dissuaded in the least from helping their Jewish friends. Instead, they joined the Dutch resistance movement, sheltering Jews in their hidden closet as they were being smuggled out of the country to safety.
When Corrie’s family was captured by the Nazis, even that did not overcome her spirit. When she was finally released, she opened rehabilitation homes for holocaust survivors, even working with those who had previously helped the Germans. Corrie’s amazing perseverance not only helped rescue 800 Jews during the war, but helped change untold lives across the world through her ongoing work and witness.
Perseverance in the Bible
Joseph is another beautiful example of perseverance. Shortly after he received his amazing dream from God, he was sold into slavery by his brothers. In spite of his predicament, he worked with excellence for his new master and was quickly promoted. When his skill caught the eye of Potiphar’s wife and landed Joseph in prison, Joseph rose through the ranks again. Refusing to give up, he continued to serve others with excellence until his skill ultimately brought him to the attention of Pharaoh himself.
Joseph’s indomitable spirit, excellent service, and unswerving trust in God and His promises saved not just a nation, but a whole region of the world from extinction by the seven-year famine. And did you notice, writer? Often the larger the impact of a person’s life and dream, the more impossible things will seem at first.
Perseverance in Life
For me, one of my tests of perseverance came as a I served in an organization that came under bad regional management. I knew almost immediately that the direction this new group was taking the organization was wrong, but when I spoke up, I immediately saw that resistance would only get me fired…on bad terms with everyone. And I felt God challenging me to submit.
So, I did. And as He walked me through that season, He exposed those in management in His time and removed them, while He positioning me to serve the organization overseas. For three and half months, I taught their staff a course that transformed my student’s lives as well as my own. And that impact has continued to ripple outward ever since.
But you see, writer, if I hadn’t persevered through the difficult moments, I never would have been seen as a trustworthy minister or teacher in the following years. And I wouldn’t have had the skills I needed to lead my students well.
Perseverance in Your Life
It’s the same for each of us, writer. So often when we encounter difficulty, we are tempted to question our call and vision from God. But more often than not, the difficulties we face come not because we’ve got it wrong, but because we are exactly where we should be. Because we are indeed called to a great work. Because what is on the other side is so much bigger than you could imagine. Let me show you…
- For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
- For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. – 2 Corinthians 1:8-9
- No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.- Romans 8:37
- But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. – 2 Corinthian 4:7
You see, writer, when we face obstacles to our God-given call, it’s an opportunity in disguise. Just like with Corrie Ten Boom, Joseph, and myself, these trials position us for a much greater impact than we could have ever imagined or achieved on our own. And those challenges grow our character to be able to hold those positions with wisdom and strength and grace. As long as you keep going! Your difficulties are working to refine you and your story more than ever before!
Where to Start with Perseverance
Now, telling you not to give up and then actually persevering in the midst of difficulty are two different things. But here are some things, when it comes to writing, that will help you grow and keep going in the midst of trials.
- Repent. Sometimes when we feel blocked…it’s because we need to take a simple step of repentance. A good place to begin, when we’re blocked, is to ask the Lord to search our hearts and reveal whether anything in our lives has gotten out of line. This isn’t always the case, but there have been times when unbridled worry, bitterness and strife growing between me and another, or even poor sleep or time management habits have blocked my ability to write. Sometimes, that one simple act of repentance has been all that was needed to unlock the creative flow once more.
- Rest. Sometimes, the creative flow stops because we’ve emptied our creative tank! We need to fill up again. I recommend to all people the practice of Sabbath as the best way to keep that tank full. But also, I recommend doing things that stir up creativity. Enjoying art and nature and slow conversation. Trying new things. Reading good books. Playing with your children and pets. All these things help fill up our tanks again.
- Exercise. Sometimes, we do need physical exercise, and I DO recommend a good walk around the neighborhood to get you unstuck! But at times, our “stuck” springs from a lack of exercise in our craft, and researching, taking a class, practicing your writing where it’s weak, or using creative prompts or other exercises can be a huge benefit to help you get flowing again!
- Push Through. This is the final—and sometimes—least pleasant option. But, when I do it, this option is often becomes the most rewarding. Sometimes, when nothing seems right or amenable to write, you just need to grit your teeth and push through. Especially when your call is clear. This looks like sitting down with your manuscript and simply writing. Even if it sounds terrible. Even if you’re not sure “where it’s going.” It looks like being willing, as my editor Robin Patchen said, to write “terrible” until you start writing good. This simple act of faith has produced some of my most beautiful works, including my first to novels.
Because here’s the final thing, writer. Perseverance is often a simple act of faith. It’s continuing to write when you have every reason not to, trusting that the One who called you knew what He was doing. And that He knows what He’s doing now. It’s trusting that as you move forward in faith, He will lead you into clarity and fruitfulness and will make your paths straight. That’s the heart of Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
This is one of the greatest ways to bring Him glory. By finishing the work that He’s given us to do!
And here’s the most beautiful thing of all, writer. When we move forward in faith and allow the Lord to direct our steps, He leads us into His paths and shows us His ways. And though His paths aren’t always easy they’re described like this…
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. – Psalm 23:3
Her [Wisdom’s] ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. – Proverbs 3:1
You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance. – Psalm 65:1
Isn’t that good, writer? So, I encourage you, today! If you are facing difficulty, do not give up! Lean into your King, seek Him, and keep going. No matter what. I promise that He who leads you is faithful, and He will bring to completion every good work He’s started in you. And you cannot begin to imagine the live He will touch as your faithfulness allows His faithfulness and glory to shine through.
#keepgoing #writing #perseverance #EveryWriterWriting
