Welcome back. It means a lot to me that you are reading this. It is discouraging to write to a silent computer. Are there people who are actually being affected by what I write? Is it doing any good at all? Is this just for my amusement? Or am I doing God’s will? Today, we will look at Romans 8–10 and try to find the answers to these questions.
The Challenge of Writing and Preaching
When I get to preach, I can see faces. Some may be falling asleep or looking at their phones. I have noticed people looking at their watches, wondering when I was going to wrap things up. But at least I know they are there; I can see them. When I write, I never know whether people are reading these words. Some people will “like” them on social media, but that does not mean they actually read them.
People will ask how many books I have sold, and I have to be honest—few. Is there something wrong with the books? Are they not what the population wants to spend money on? Perhaps. But knowing that God has placed on my heart a desire to be a missionary through the written word is enough for me. I know He will use this, even if I never see it come to fruition, for His good and glory. It may be someone thirty years after I have left this life who reads these words and places their faith in Jesus Christ. Even if they are the only ones, it would have been worth it. One sinner who is saved, not because of what I write, but because of what Jesus did on the cross, is all the motivation I need (Romans 8:1–3).
Faith Beyond Results
Faith is not seeing the result, but believing in the purpose to make the effort, even when you don’t. I worked on projects, putting my heart into them. They got off the ground, but then did not advance as quickly as others had hoped. Therefore, they assigned me to another task and let someone else see what they could do with my project.
They rewarded them when they had instant success, even though they didn’t really do much with it. I have felt that sting and wondered how I could make sure the powers that be knew it was my earlier efforts that finally paid off. They usually don’t.
When you are doing what God wills—following His plan for your life—you must remember, it is not about you (Romans 8:28–30). If God wants you to see the success, great, praise Him for allowing that. I have seen people come to faith in Jesus, and there is nothing better in this life than seeing that. But when I work with someone for years, then hear sometime later that they came to faith while attending a different church, I am still just grateful that they know Jesus. It was never about me.
Perseverance in Writing
So, when I write another book, it is tempting to look at those I have written and wonder if I am fooling myself to believe they are making a difference. Waking up early on a day I don’t feel well to get another devotional written and posted online seems pointless in the moment. But faith is having a living hope that God will use that at some point, somewhere, for His glory (Romans 8:24–26). And that is enough.
If I were doing it for any other purpose—for my fame or fortune—I would be wrong to be doing it at all. It is only because I believe that this is God’s will for my life that I persist. That perseverance is helping me grow as a writer and preacher. It is developing in me a greater faith. This is the purpose of why I do this.
The Reader’s Challenge
But this is not about me. The question I have in all this is: what are you doing that may cause you frustration? Do you feel you are just moving rocks from one pile to another with no real reason? Are your efforts in vain?
Life can feel that way. We learn to play roles in our society and the companies we work for. Our education system has trained us to be cogs in a corporate wheel. Seth Godin, in Linchpin, argues that modern education often produces replaceable workers rather than innovators who bring unique value to the world. (1) But God has a higher purpose for each of us. Knowing Jesus should drive us to seek His will in our lives. When we do, even when we are not seeing the good from it, we can know that He will use it to His glory (Romans 10:9–15). That should be a reason to keep going.
Footnotes
- Seth Godin, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? (New York: Portfolio, 2010).