Monday 30 March 2015

You're not a real writer...and other oft repeated lies by Jo Wanmer



I have banished the accusation!

It comes from the accuser and I'm not buying his lies any longer. I'm going to walk in the truth.

"Did God really say...?" From the Garden of Eden until today it is still Satan's favourite lie. He loves to sew seeds of doubt which, in turn, feed on our insecurities until they become full blown paranoia. Then his purpose is achieved. We give up, turn away, ignore the voice of God.

A couple of weeks ago a teacher at our disciple training school made a simple statement. For me it was one of those golden sentences, a 'ah-ha' moment or as my husband would say a BFO (blinding flash of the obvious.) He was talking about hearing the voice of God. He must have been looking inside my head cause he described it accurately.

        'As soon as you ask 'Was that me or God?' you lock the door to revelation. You can no longer hear God's voice.'

I can hear you arguing with me. Every thought must be tested, taken captive and made to obey Christ. The Bible says so. The Bible also says we walk by faith, we know His voice and if we ask of Him, he will gives us treasures stored in dark places. Any question that raises doubt is anti-faith.

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?" Luke 11:11

If I ask God to speak to me, I know he's not going to send the snake. However the serpent will slither in and cast doubt if he can. From now on he's not getting any air time in my head. I'm believing everything I hear is from God. I will record, test it and ask for confirmation. I can delete it later if necessary. But no longer will I allow a thought to be aborted before it has been given time to fully form.

Likewise, this week, I have banished the lie, 'You're not a real writer.' I've been haunted in the middle of the night by rules telling me a real author writes at least 15 minutes everyday, reads a book a week in their genre and reads other genres widely. My concern about not achieving this guideline gave the enemy fertile ground to plant his seed of doubt.

So let me confess. Until yesterday I hadn't read a book since holidays in January. I haven't looked at my edits since the February Omega Writer's meeting where I said I'd edit a certain amount six days every week. I'm grieved about this and I apologise to the rest of you in book world.

But when I pushed past my remorse and talked to God, the fog cleared. He's never as judgmental as I am on myself. He pointed to the truth.

I have read a least four books of the Old Testament, countless snippets of other biblical passages, many prophetic words re our times, blogs, emails, Facebook and the ingredients lists on food packaging. I have written pages in journals, drawn illustrations, typed countless messages, texts.... And I have taught at the ministry school and watched as understanding of His love dawned in student's eyes.

So what if my edits are behind and ideas burning in my head aren't written down? Soon the season will change and these books I'm passionate about will emerge. I am a writer, a real writer...but I may move to the beat of a different drum. And therein lies the wonder and diversity of the body of Christ.

What about you? Do you have lies the enemy uses to close the door to revelations from God, or to discourage you, divert you?


Jo Wanmer is the author of Though the Bud be Bruised, published by Even Before Publishing in 2012. She loves to write stories about real people, bringing the God of love and wholeness into real-life messes. Meanwhile she is a pastor, bookkeeper, grandmother and a few other assorted things as the Spirit requests.

12 comments:

  1. Well said, Jo.

    I think that statement might be a BFO for me as well. I'll be thinking about it ...

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    1. I love BFOs Iola. I'm pleased to share with you.

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  2. Hi Jo,
    Good on you for ignoring the lie. I'm sure that if we put together a list of what supposedly 'real' writers are supposed to have achieved or be, many of us would not be 'real' writers. Taking your own time and letting your heart guide you sounds like the wisest ploy to me anyway.

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    1. Thanks Paula. You are a great encourager.

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  3. Great blog Jo and I can relate to what you said. I think goals are great as a guideline, but God showed me a few weeks ago that I was much tougher on myself than he was. I had all sorts of goals and challenges I'd set myself (from trying a new recipe a week, to reading a certain number of books in the Goodreads challenge, to writing 3000 words of the novel each week, to cycling a certain number of km each month). Even my Quiet Times had become a list of tasks I had to work through. While all of those things might have had good intentions behind them, I realised I was stressing out because of all of these self-imposed challenges and deadlines, whereas God wanted me to simplify and chill out. And you're right about there being different seasons. Good luck with those edits when the right time comes.

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    1. Nola you are so inspiring. Yes, it is another trap to fall into goals that become ends in them self instead of moving us into the real goals.

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  4. I know the feeling. Lately I've felt unproductive, especially after what happened on the weekend. Yesterday I was looking at all the copies of my books in the cupboard and saying, 'What kind of an author am I if I can't even sell these copies? I've only sold one copy this year!'
    Then I reminded myself that I've only sold one physical copy myself. Rochelle has sold others. I also sold at least 60 ebook versions during my promo in February. I am selling. I am not failing.
    But sometimes it's hard to believe it.

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    1. Hi Lynne. The sales don't make an author, esp in this climate. It is great that you can remind yourself of the truth in the times of discouragement. Never give up. :)

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  5. Thanks for the reminder Jo. Yes, it's very easy to believe the lies of the evil one since he is pretty cunning. But yes, we need to open our hearts and minds to Him and be willing to hear. And then to trust Him with all we've got. Good on you Jo. I think the modern writer's world can be toxic - because there are so many expectations made of writers. There is a danger that we think every writer should be of the same mould and doing the 1001 things that we should do. There are different seasons - yes - may be hear Him and be all we are called to be.

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    1. Hi Anusha. Isn't it wonderful that we only have to please Him! There are so many other slave masters after us. It is so freeing to give them the slip!

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  6. Thank you. I have given myself a hard time lately. I'm trying to catch up on all my writing. Life has thrown my family some hard balls and knocked us in the head with them lately. I started to tell myself THE lie. OR, I started to listen to THE father of lies. I nodded all the way through your post. I'm back on track now. Bless you!

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    1. Hi Robyn. Life can throw us tough challenges and the enemy loves to magnify the problem to stop us focusing on the solution, Father God. I'm so pleased you're back on track. May these knocks in the head be turned into good. Blessings

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