The Writer’s Heart: The Work

The Writer’s Heart: The Work

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*Being men of action, waiting worked against their nature. Words, memories, pictures of the cross, and an empty tomb tumbled in their minds like falling leaves tossed by the wind. Visions of their risen Lord floated before their eyes. Peter could stand the waiting no longer.
“I’m going fishing,” he said and headed for his boat.

“Wait for us.” Thomas waved a come on to the others. “We’ll go with you.”

The fishermen’s strength and know how failed them through the night, but at the word of the Lord, their results changed. Not only did they catch one hundred fifty-three fish, Peter caught a renewed work for his life.

The night of denial flashed through Peter’s mind, as the Lord questioned Peter for the third time.

“Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?”

Each time, Peter confirmed his love for the Lord, and the Lord assigned him a ministry. He told Peter, “Feed my sheep.”

Like Peter, we followers of the Lord are given the same task. Someone fed us and now it’s our turn to feed others. For us, who are writers, it’s through the written word. And as one presenter at the Kentucky Christian Writer’s  Conference put it, writers need to be good speakers. Lori Hatcher married the topic of speaking and writing to my life verse.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:

and be ready always to give an answer

to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope

that is in you with meekness and fear:”

1 Peter 3:15, KJV

Given a work of ministry through writing and speaking, an author needs to be ready to write the message stamped on his/her heart.

Maybe like Peter, someone struggles with a conceived failure because of a misspoken word, a rejection letter, or an unplanned detour due to circumstances beyond his control.

Like Peter,

• let the Lord reawaken your love for him,
• step away from the past,
• and move forward with renewed strength of commitment to your place in the work of ministry—and it does take a passionate, pointed, persistent commitment.

The Lord told Peter his road would be hard, taking him to a place he wouldn’t want to go. We have been told the servant is not greater than the master but we have this promise—

“These things I have spoken unto you,

that in me ye might have peace.

In the world ye shall have tribulation:

but be of good cheer;

I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33, KJV

The road of ministry is not paved only with potholes. There are victories to rejoice in. If we visit Peter about forty days after this encounter with the Lord, we find him filled with the power of the Holy Spirit preaching the gospel. Three thousand souls received the Lord. Now, that is reason for rejoicing—but so is the one who reads our words and is encouraged in the Lord.

Another word from the Lord for Peter reminds us not to look at the journey of another author and wonder why our journey is so different. He says to Peter, who was concerned about John,

“If I will that he tarry till I come,

what is that to thee?

Follow thou me.”

Our journey doesn’t include following another author’s style, success, or struggles. Ours is to follow the path the Lord has laid out for us, planting and watering lives with seeds of the gospel and praising the Lord for giving the increase—and he will give increase to his word.

Now, it’s time to put down the fishing pole and pick up the pen—there is a story to be told.

Have you experienced a hiccup in your writing journey? How did you overcome it? I have and maybe I’ll share it one day.

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*Adapted from John 21.