"Sit back and keep your mouth shut. Bite your tongue. Wilt into the background. In fear of stepping on anyone's toes, never step up. Stay in your seat. Quieten your inner voice. Go along to get along. Restrain your heart, mind, and writings. Don't risk being disliked or disagreed with. Don't tell the truth; it may hurt someone; don't lie, just don't say anything. Who are you to speak up or out about anything? You're a sinner!! You're a struggler! Stay shackled. Don't make anyone uncomfortable. Don't get uncomfortable yourself. Feel a stirring in your heart to speak up, speak out, stand up?...Smother it! Just who in the world do you think you are anyway? I know who you are. I know what you've done. I know what you've thought. I know every time you sin. I know you sinned just moments ago. I know your life isn't in the same universe with perfection. SHUT UP! Sink down in silence. Don't say a WORD! You lousy hypocrite!"
All of that goes through my mind and heart every time I am about to write something that someone/anyone may not agree with or be comfortable with. I hate it. I know who is saying it. When I ignore it and go ahead and write what is on my heart, I hit POST and then duck for cover.
Must we be perfect to share His message? Must we be perfect to encourage others and ourselves in writing? Must we be perfect to speak up? Must we be perfect to write things of spiritual substance? NO. NO. NO. Check out my brother Paul (in the Bible). Do I ever present myself as perfection...uh heck no! Not even ONCE! Not even close! So why this inner battle EVERY SINGLE time I write? I know the score. I do not condemn a single soul...not even myself. That is not my place. We ALL fall short of the glory of God! I am a sinner. I am in dire need of my Savior- a Savior who takes great pleasure in me. But the enemy knows my weakness to keep the peace, to go along to get along. He plays upon my insecurities and failures to keep me quiet. He uses everything he can to quiet my voice. Sadly, sometimes he gets away with it.
Dear God, please help me to always stand strong when he whispers of fear, doubt, and hypocrisy. Let my imperfections be used to glorify you, don't let me use them as an excuse to wilt and wither into silence.
5 comments:
If you're not writing for others, but for God and yourself, this shouldn't matter. I know it happens. It happens to me, too. Just remember who you are writing for when this happens. Keep up the good work.
AMEN! COME ON! BRING IT!
love this post! i go through those exact same thoughts every time i get ready to go to church, when i wake up in the morning, when i go to work... just about all day - but what the enemy doesn't know that i do know is this: God must have something really big for me to accomplish in His name if the enemy is trying to jack with me that hard!
and that just lights my fire all the more!
thanks for sharing your challenge :)
LOVE YA!
I'm not sure what movie I saw this in, it was not a good movie but it had a great line in it. It went something like..."in any given situation you can do three things: the best is the right thing, the next best is the wrong thing, but the worst thing is to do nothing."
good stuff CC. I hav equite afew thoughts on this, i wil liely chronicle on my blog soon. thanks for the inspiration.
Blessings,
Mark
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