Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?...But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow... (Matt. 6:25, 33-34).Think for a moment about the implications of the word, strive. Jesus says we strive for many things; we think, fret, and strategize about how to obtain food, clothing, and everything else we need.
Jesus doesn't dismiss these concerns. "Indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things" (v. 32). So striving for them--working intentionally to earn them--is not a bad thing. However, Jesus says we should "strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness..."
Current economic problems are as vexing to Christian writers as anyone else, because we work just as hard to pay our bills. We are no less inclined to worry about having the wherewithal to obtain the food, clothing, and shelter we need. Many times we wonder where our next assignment will come from, and whether it will keep a roof over our heads or pay our medical expenses. (As Shakespeare might say, "Prick us, and do we not bleed? Test it, and do we not get invoiced?")
Yet our situation is different in this respect: We are called first of all to build God's kingdom, not to make money.
Yes, the money is important because the things money will buy are important, but since our Father is there 'way ahead of us, we don't need to worry about the money first of all. Keep the faith. Write the vision. And know that "God will fully supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19).
Visit Joe's blog at http://hoosierwriter.wordpress.com
It seems that, for many of us, writing is our "secondary job" which means fewer writing moments as we focus on whatever our primary job is.
ReplyDeleteGood post, Joe. May the Lord richly bless you.
ReplyDeleteJeff