#429: Are You Doing the Work of Writing?

Welcome to Kingdom Writers, where we help equip and empower Christian writers of all genres to share your unique gifts with the world. We're your hosts, C.J. and Shelley Hitz.

This podcast is filled with spiritual encouragement as well as prayers to help you overcome the resistance you face as a writer. Your story matters.

So the encouragement CJ has for you today is do the work. And CJ share with us what you have for us on this topic.

Yeah. So a few weeks back, I was reading in second Timothy chapter four and came across verse five, and I just couldn't help but think of all of us as Kingdom writers.

Just to set this up a little bit, Paul is most likely writing his last letter. And not only his last letter, but the last chapter in second Timothy chapter four. And so when you think of someone in the last stages of their lives, I don't know about you, but I think of someone whose thoughts are very refined at that point. It's almost like you want to listen and hang on the words that they have. All of a sudden they know what's important. All of a sudden they have different priorities. It's like everything. It's like you want to tune in a little bit more. And I can just imagine. Timothy, the recipient of this second letter that Paul wrote to him, is realizing this. This is it. My mentor is about ready to pass on to glory and receive the reward for his work. And now he's giving me these final words. And I just couldn't help but wonder, what if Paul was speaking to you and I with these words directly? Leo, Nanette, Ellen, all of us to say, listen to me carefully. I have these final words for you. And so I want us to think in that light as we look at this verse. And I'm.

The verse that stood out to me is verse five of second Timothy chapter four. And it says, but you.

You, Timothy, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship.

Do the work of an evangelist. And that's where I find that. Do the work. I couldn't help. When I read this a few weeks ago, it struck me to do the work. I mean, you could fill in the blank. What is our calling? Our calling? We believe as Kingdom writers, that our calling is to write words that will encourage and impact others. That's why we're here. That's why we're a part of the CBA family. We're endeavoring to write words that outlast us, that impact others, that God uses in a powerful way. And here he says, do the work of an evangelist. And then Discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Now the ESV at the beginning of chapter five says be sober. But it's not specifically talking about abstaining from alcohol. It's a different concept. It's this concept of saying when everyone around you and is losing their mind, Timothy, you have a level head. You keep your head, stay calm, be alert, be level headed in all situations. Just before this verse, Paul is talking about how in the end times people are literally going to lose it. They're going to be deceived, they're going to be going after all kinds of weird teachings, they're going to veer off away from the gospel, they're going to go after things that just tickle their ears. The bottom line is Paul says, but you, Timothy, these are the words that I have for you. And I believe these words are just as relevant and shouldn't they be? If the word of God is living and active, relevant for any generation, any culture, any calling, but you keep your head in all situations. So there's four things. Keep your head, endure hardship, do the work and discharge all your duties. And again in another translation it says, fulfill all of your duties, but you keep your head. So I want to encourage us all in this culture that we live in, this world that we live in where things are crazy, I want to encourage us to keep our eyes on the Lord more than we keep our eyes on the news, keep our eyes in the Word more than we're paying attention to the latest and greatest in social media because how many know those things are going to go up and down, up and down, they're going to swear emotions, we're going to find ourselves craving after those things that aren't healthy. I want to encourage us all as we endeavor to tap into this the our best writing to keep a level head in a culture that's falling apart, in a world that's falling apart without Jesus. So that's the first thing. The second thing is Paul says endure hardship in endure hardship. It also says.

In another translation, suffering. You and I are in a battle and, and it's not just suffering and hardship from people around us.

It, it's an enemy that doesn't like your writing, he doesn't like you being a kingdom writer. There are going to be ramifications, we can still be victorious. But that word endure means to withstand pain, to withstand trial and be stronger for it. It's like I go out for a 15 mile run and that run isn't felt immediately. Immediately I'm broken down. But a week, two Weeks later, my body reaps those rewards because it's like my body adapts and helps build endurance. That, that ability to withstand something that you've been through before, all of us can relate to that. Regarding this trial of pushing through in order to get something done with our writing. And so that's the second thing. The third thing is, is yes, it's the theme that I mentioned, but it was really just one phrase out of the four that I decided to focus on. Do the work. You've heard God's call. You know, you're supposed to write a book or books. You know, something is going on here that the enemy doesn't like. But I'm here to tell you, if we endeavor to set aside intentional time week in and week out, putting, as we say, butts in chairs and say, I'm going to push through. I'm going to do the work. I'm going to. I don't want. I want to do all these other things. Maybe it's your flesh. Maybe it's all this list that comes up that you need to do. If we'll prioritize this calling in our lives to do the work, we're going to see these books get finished one sentence at a time, one section at a time. That's going to turn into a chapter. Pretty soon that's going to turn into two chapters, and we're going to. And all of a sudden, because we did the work, we look back and say, wow, now something's finished and God can use it. Now, how many know that a book can't be used until it's published and out into the world? Being able to hand it to people or then being able to download it on Kindle, whatever it may be, that message is crucial that God's calling us to. And so do the work. And then finally discharge all the duties of your ministry. In other words, fulfill all the duties of your ministry. That word used in the Greek is a word that says essentially, maximize the potential that you have as a writer. What is your maximum potential? Every single one of you ask that question. What is my maximum potential that God wants to do in and through me? I'm created in a very specific way. I am a person that God has set apart for this. I'm. Bonita is different than Nayla, Stephanie's different than Carol Ann. We're all different, but we all have a maximum potential. What could happen if we each tapped into that maximum potential? That's what Paul means when he tells Timothy, fulfill your ministry. Take it to the Max, leave. No. No stone unturned. Go for it. Don't hold back. Live it fully. That's what Paul essentially is essentially saying. And how many know that Paul at this point is seeing very clear? Well, maybe not literally. Some say he had an eyesight problem, but he's seeing clearly, spiritually speaking, because he knows his time's almost up and he's giving his final.

His final pledge, his final command to his. His son in the faith. Timothy and so four things.

But you keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, do the work of a kingdom writer, and discharge or fulfill all your duties. Now, I want to read you. Some of you have heard of Pastor Alistair Beg, and I won't attempt to.

Read this quote with his. His Scottish accent, which some of you are familiar with. It's a very beautiful accent. You talk about a beautiful preach when it comes to listening to him. But I want you to let. I want you to hear this. He was speaking to a group of pastors on this very specific verse. And he says this. I'm going to put my glasses on. He says, I increasingly find that this verse is to be the anchor point for all of my days. I wake up on a Monday and say, well, what will I do now? Then I say, well, I think I'll try to keep my head, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill all the duties of my ministry. And when I am lifted up a little, when I'm lifted up by a little encouragement, which sometimes comes, I say to myself, well, what shall I do? The answer is, keep your head, endure hardship. And so on. And he paused, but then he went on and he says, quote, and when the waves beat on me and I feel just like running away to the hill somewhere. How many of us feel like running to the hill somewhere? Sometimes.

He says, what should I do? He says, well, Alistair, just keep your head, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill all the duties of your ministry. That's Alistair Beg. And I want to also read you a story.

About a pastor in the late 8, late 1700s, early 1800s, in Cambridge, England. It was called Trinity Church, and it was a guy named Charles Simeon.

Now, when Charles Simeon was approaching 60, he decided to retire. He went to what he thought was his last visit to Scotland. His voice had been bad. He had been through the ringer. But while there, he had an encounter with God. He felt that God actually said to him, I laid you aside because you entertained with satisfaction the thought of resting from your labor.

But that now you have arrived at the very period when you had promised yourself that satisfaction and have determined instead to spend your strength for me. To the latest hour of your life I have doubled, trebled, quadrupled your strength that you may execute your desire on a more extended plan. I thought that was interesting.

At 60 years of age, Simeon renewed his commitment to his pulpit and the mission of the church and preached vigorously for 17 more years until two months before his death. He gave himself with all his might to the work till he died.

One of the people influenced under Simeon's ministry was Henry Martin. How many are familiar with that? That name, Henry Martin, that's M A R, T Y N. He was a young man who went to India and who served only a few years before dying at the age of 32 of a fever. Simeon had a portrait of Martin hanging in his dining room. Often with friends there for dinner, he would look at the likeness and say, quote, there, see that blessed man. What an expression of countenance. No one looks at me as he does. He never takes his eyes off me and seems always to be saying, be serious, be in earnest. Don't trifle, don't trifle. And then smiling at the portrait and gently bowing, Simeon would add, quote, and I won't trifle. I won't trifle.

And just to be. Just to remind us of that word trifle, it means really to spend our time in useless things.

Henry Martin.

He was a man who translated the Bible in several languages in India.

Many Christians in India have their influence that goes back to Henry Martin.

Henry Martin was tutored under Charles Simeon. Charles Simeon was about ready to retire at age 60. He went on for 17 more years, influencing how, how many other people.

What I want to challenge us all to think about.

Is.

Paul's final words, essentially telling Timothy, don't trifle, don't trifle. Get on with the word, Timothy, do the work.

And in verse 6, he goes on and says, for I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who've longed for his appearing.

And so I want to just encourage us all with these words.

To do the work. There's going to be resistance with every single one of us. This is one of the reasons we have this community, is we need each other. We need prayer. We need to lean on one another. We need the support. It's not an easy thing. Nobody ever says it's easy. And I would say that if you're finding no hardship, no, no suffering at all in this whole writing journey, I would say you're doing it wrong. Because every one of us are going to. To feel that at some point. That's not to say we're. We're not going to be able to press through and have those moments of flow, but we're going to endure hardship. We have a God that can get us through that. We have a God that is victorious, that we fight from victory, not for victory. And he will help us if we'll do our part as well, do the work. And that goes for every one of us. Each of us have that specific call in our lives that God's calling us to. What is it that God is calling you to share with the world that could possibly influence a Henry Martin out there, could possibly influence somebody that goes on to be fruitful. Fruitful? Fruitful. Why? Because you poured into them, you helped fertilize their soil, you helped water them, whatever it may be. And so that's my challenge to all of us today.

Yeah, that's so good. And I think in especially the United States, we have the retirement mentality, right? Like, you work hard for so many years and then you rest. And I've been feeling lately like I've been working a lot in our business for many years and sowing a lot of seeds. And I was like, God, can I have some rest? And of course I get rest. I have Sabbath every week. I take vacations and digital detoxes and I get rest. But I'm like, oh, I just want to kind of have a season of rest. And it's like, he continues to give me new assignments and new things and. But this week he has been saying to me, like, slow down. Like, quality over quantity. Like, but keep going, right? Keep showing up, keep going, and it will be worth it. And I think we all can get into that mindset at times of like, oh, I just want to rest. And God was reminding me this week of how David, what happened when he stayed home from the battle, when he decided, I'm just going to stay home and rest, right? And it wasn't directed by God. Sometimes we need a sabbatical. We need time off. And I am all about rest and. But I think sometimes we choose out of our own flesh. You know, it's my flesh crying out, saying, I just want to relax and have it easy. And yet God is often calling us into something more. And David, when he stayed home from the battle, that's when he saw Bathsheba. That's when that temptation came up. That's when that whole thing happened, you know, and it led to so much. And so, you know, this week I got some pretty bad news, like, for the business. And, oh, I had an opportunity to freak out or just to say, okay, God, this may mean a lot more work for me or it may not, but grace over grind. Those of you who know my friend Shay Bines, she wrote a book, Grace Over Grind. And. And I'm going to choose to say, what can I learn from this? What can I do from this? And obviously, God, you knew this was going to happen. You knew, you know, all of this. And it's like every time I get to a point where I think, oh, I'm going to be able to relax a little bit or maybe write my next book or do something else, something happens. And, yeah, balance is important. But as I shared, I've been reading this book, Mindset by Carol Dweck. I've had it forever, and I've heard the concept of the growth mindset and the fixed mindset. But I think when sometimes we go through these challenging seasons or we have difficulty and, you know, we're called to endure some pain, whatever it is like, it's like that fixed mindset says, I don't think I want to do this. So this week I was like, God, just help me have a growth mindset. How can I grow from this? How can I become better? How can our business be better from this? And already I'm starting to see God providing some things and. And a way of how he's going to work it all out. But I think in our writing careers, in our writing journeys, there's always going to be those moments where I think those four things that C.J. shared, you know, keep your head, endure hardship, do the work, fulfill your duties, and that it's a privilege to continue to work with the Lord, partner with him until the day we die, right? That there is no such thing as retirement in the Kingdom of God. Like, he wants to continue using you Kingdom writers. He wants to continue to really see what you're going to do and love that there's. There is that balance because God created Sabbath. Like, CJ and I are reading back through the Bible again, and we just read where, like, you know, he instituted the Sabbath for our own good, like, so we could rest. And so that we could have that. And he. He has those good gifts for us, and yet he also invites us to work. Even from the very beginning, before sin entered the world, he gave Adam work to do in the garden. He was basically a gardener, Right? Adam was. And he gave Adam fulfilling work to do. And he has fulfilling work for you Kingdom writers and for me and for CJ and so the enemy's temptation is just to say rest, you know, like. And rest, you know, but actually it's like. What was it you said, C.J. of what the trifle means.

Yeah, that word, trifle. You don't use it as much anymore. I know it. It really means to spend time in useless things.

And useless.

I personally would even think.

So much time that each of us have probably been there at one time or another, where we're just mindlessly scrolling through social media, kind of that endless as. As Cal Newport used to say.

Nuggets of nothingness.

Meaningless nuggets of nothingness. Yeah. And that's where God has been refining me over this last year. And he may be refining you, too. What are those things that, you know, it feels like, you know, it seems like it might be rest, but it's really useless.

Right.

And so just pressing in. And sometimes as your mentors, we push you a little bit. Right. But it's always about partnering with God. It's never about running ahead of Him. It's never about working out of your own flesh and your own strength. You have to be filled up with him first. And so, cj, why don't you pray for us?

Father, we just thank you so much for these final words that we read from Paul, just so to the point, so refined.

Almost an urgency. And I just pray, Lord, that.

Each of us would have those words in mind, even as Kingdom writers, that we would seek to accomplish all that you want to in and through us, that we wouldn't leave something on the table.

If we're pursuing you with all of our hearts and we're listening to you and we're writing down words that we're inspired by with you. I just believe it's going to work out. It's going to. To happen in such a way that those were the words that. That you're wanting us to share with the world. So I want to pray for each one of these Kingdom writers, Lord. I just pray that they would.

Be empowered by you, your spirit, that they'd be carried along to be able to. To do the work you're calling them to. I pray that you put a shield around them. That the enemy can't penetrate, that every plan or assignment of the enemy would be frustrated in Jesus name. And I pray that today and tomorrow would just be a powerful time of.

Making progress, whatever that looks like with each person. It could be organizing, it could be working on a little marketing for books that are already finished. It could be working to finish that book that they know they're called to finish. And just one word sentence, chapter at a time. So Lord, would you have your way in and through these Kingdom writers? And again, for as we look back and we see all that's finished, we're going to give you the glory and the honor knowing that you empowered us, you inspired us, you even gave us the desire to want to do this, to be Kingdom writers, to write for your glory. And so thank you Lord, and we just give you the rest of this time in Jesus name. Amen.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Kingdom Writers. We believe that you, as a Christian writer, have a specific role to play in the Kingdom of Heaven to impact lives for eternity.

And because of this, we choose to pour out our lives into encouraging writers like you to not only tell your stories, but to take the courageous step of self publishing your stories in books that will outlive you and leave behind a powerful legacy. This podcast is sponsored by Christian Book Academy where we help you give birth to your books. We invite you to join our community of Kingdom writers.

It.