We all hear voices. Some are internal. Some are not.
If you’re a writer, especially a fiction writer, you hear the voices of your characters telling you who they are and where to take the story next.
Other internal voices include our conscience and all the voices we’ve heard through the years. Voices we’ve internalized until they become the messages we believe about who we are. For many of us, these are the negative words we see as true. “You’ll never amount to anything.” “You’re not good enough.” “You’re ___________.” Fill in the blank.
External voices at times reinforce these harmful words. A bad work review, or even termination. An upset customer who questions our skill or integrity. Harsh words with our spouse. Our parents still speaking negatively to and about us. Others in our life who seem to only see the negative in us.
Over the last year, I’ve gone through a very difficult learning experience. These voices threatened to destroy me. Replacing them voices is the most difficult struggle I’ve ever had. I had to replace years of negativity and fear of rejection.
The breakthrough didn’t come until I accepted the fact that change meant I had to rebuke the power they held over me and I had to repent of the sins they led me into. Then I could change who I am.
I’ve learned a life-changing principle: For repentance and change to be effective, we must change the voices we listen to. We need to replace them with the Voice that tells us who we really are.
This Voice belongs only to God.
Getting Close to God
Roselene Coblentz wrote in her devotional Ten Habits of Intimacy with God (Click Here), “What I believe is what I will do.” When I buy into the negative messages as the truth about who I am, I will live them out.
But there is a way to change this. I give it away in the title of this blog: make God the loudest voice in my life. Pastor Jimmy Evans of Gateway Church says, “I must change the way I think or I will never change the way I act. I must fill my mind with the Word of God.”
I’ve learned it’s more than just spending time in his Word, although this is crucial to our success. We also need to spend time talking with him throughout the day. I’ve found it helpful to spend the first part of the day with him. This is a quiet time of sharing my heart with him and listening to him. I use this time to connect with him, with his Holy Spirit. This connection is with me throughout the day.
The other thing I’ve learned to do is listen to him when I enter my writing time. What does he want me to write? How does he want me to tell the story he inspired in me?
After I’ve written I make the time to review it and ask does what I’ve written glorify him. Does it challenge and encourage? Do my characters reflect real people dealing with real problems that can only be resolved with his help?
We can’t hear from him if we’re not connected to him.
What are some of the things you do to make God the loudest voice in your life?
Next week, I’ll share more on the breakthrough I experienced.
No comments yet.