Chasing False Gods

 

Photo by Gerd Altman at Pixaby - Words by Author

The false gods of popularity, success, security and safety draw us to them. But we will never be popular enough, opinions can turn in the blink of an eye, and success can plummet overnight. None of us will be as safe or as secure as we hope.

Jesus did not promise an easy life, or that he would save us from every disaster or danger. Instead, he assured us he would walk with us, even carry us when life pressed down too hard.

Although I understand God is more concerned with my holiness than my earthly happiness, it doesn’t mitigate my suffering. However, putting my life and my desires into God’s hands would lesson my anxiety, but I still struggle with letting go.

Giving my life into God’s care and focusing on his commandments, doesn’t mean putting my head in the clouds and ignoring issues and circumstances. Jesus gave us so many examples to follow. He spoke out against pride, immorality, injustices, and crimes, but was just as quick to forgive the repentant. He refused to engage in useless arguments or self-justification.

“Dear Lord, help me remain hopeful of deliverance from my troubles, remind me of the miracles you have already bestowed on me, and when your will does not include rescue from my sorrows, counsel me, encourage me, and strengthen me.” Amen.

Like a Sunrise

Image by Jonas Fehre from Pixabay

Against my better judgment, I watched the movie, Julie and Julia. It is a good story with a happy ending, but it always makes me cry. Julie Powell’s writing career took off in just one year — from writing a blog! People were almost breaking down her door to sign her to a writing contract, and they even made a movie from her book.

It makes me feel inferior.  

However, this time I didn’t wallow very long in self-pity. A dear friend shared an interview with Hugh Howey, an Indie phenomenon whose book, Wool, took off and sold millions.

He said, “One of the worst things that can happen to you is for your first book to be a runaway success.”

Wow.

The article explained it is better for an author to have a backlist of five or ten books before writing the coveted best seller. Readers can go back and buy everything else the author wrote, reducing the stress on writing the next novel.

Hugh also said, “I told myself that everything I published would be available for thousands of years, so success and appreciation didn’t have to occur in my lifetime. That gave me hope.”

Thank you, Hugh, that gives me hope too, and flows right in with my devotion in, Living Faith. Deborah Meister wrote:  “Nothing stands in the way of God’s mercy and love except our own stubbornness to resist change, to cling to our guilt or grief, or anger [or jealousy, fear, doubts, and impatience]. Right in front of our eyes, like every sunrise, God is making all things new. (Revelation 21:5)”

That includes my writing as well as my faith.