I was recently asked how I can stay motivated to keep up with the blog posts. Blogs have a "dark side": you never know if people are actually reading them; your "popularity" is non-existent; there's the struggle of 'coming up with things to write'; it's so easy to "not discipline myself"; and, of course, once you push that "publish" button, what you're saying is out there for everyone to read, so there's always a bit of fear, nervousness, as well as 'I hope people read this!'.
In June, I will have been working on this blog for a year. This is my 46th blogpost. That means, I will have published one almost every week since I started last summer. Yet, when that initial question was posed: "How do you stay motivated to write?", I felt my mind scrambling. No one had ever asked me that before! Why am I doing this?
The answer that finally came out of my mouth was something like this: "I want to help someone be motivated to know God for themselves."
I don't know who reads these posts (unless they tell me so). I don't know what people think when I put it out an social media. I do know these don't get as much traffic as other things I could post. So, why write them? Why put myself "out there"? Why...? This list could go on and on.
In thinking more about this after the initial question, I decided to make an actual post about this. Goals are great- yet, knowing why you have that goal is important, otherwise it's easy to get sidetracked and then never meet your goal.
In this, then, my goal in writing this blog goes back to my first response: "I want to help someone be motivated to know God for themselves."
I know there's a lot of things out there to read and study; people with much more experience and skill than myself are writing great blogs, sharing motivational and encouraging podcasts, and so much more. And, in that consideration, I can become discouraged thinking about little ol' me with my little blog and its little bit of subscribers and readers. Yet, as a follower of Christ, I understand that my everyday purpose lies in something entirely different than being popular, or getting all the likes, or having so many followers.
The reason I write these things, the reason I post this stuff, the reason I live the way I do is not because of or for me.
The boys and I are learning different verses that coincide with the fruits of the Spirit. We recently learned a verse on self-control: "Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we, an imperishable." (I Corinthians 9:25)
Writing takes discipline. Keeping a blog requires discipline. All kinds of noble things require discipline. And, we admire those people who are so disciplined. The athlete, the blogger, the crafter, the cleaner, the hunter, the designer, the builder, the gardener, and so on. Yet, in all these disciplines, we find the result of these disciplines will not last forever. And, while these disciplines are great and certainly can be encouraged, the motivating factor for all who follow Christ is focused on the imperishable. On Him. On bringing Him glory. On making every day, every moment, every choice, every relationship point to Christ.
This seems crazy, foolish, even weird. Yet, God promises that those who follow Him gain eternal life. All who devote their lives to Christ gain eternal riches. For us, this world and its evil and even its allures and beauty are nothing compared to the glory that awaits us in Heaven.
And, this glory has nothing to do with what we have or what we own or what we did, but instead is completely and totally focused on the glory of God and our Savior, Jesus.
So, back to the question: "How do you stay motivated to write?"
My answer hasn't really changed. I still want to bring people to wonder, to be curious, to dig into what God has for them to know: Himself.
In this quest, the well of knowledge will never run dry. In this striving, the end goal is glorious beyond all human comprehension.
So, in my blogging, in my posting, in my sharing, I want to continually point people to God, to Christ, to life eternal, to what is better than this world, to what satisfies the longings of your heart.
This is not about me. I don't need the recognition. I don't need the "feel-good" pat-on-the-back. I don't need the admiration.
Take from this what you will. But, as for me, I desire not human praise, for that only tends to pride and self-aggrandizement.
What I do want is for you to know Christ.
To know his love.
To know his salvation.
To know his freedom.
To know his kindness.
To know his righteousness.
To know his justice.
To know his power.
To know his mercies.
To know his faithfulness.
To know HIM.
And, if God can use little ol' me, with my little blog, and my little bit of subscribers to motivate someone to know him, then, all glory be to him!
"As day unfolds, I seek your will in all of life's demands,
And though the tempter tries me still, I cling to your commands,
Let every effort of my life display the matchless worth of Christ.
Make me a living sacrifice; be glorified today!"
