I love writing. I have loved writing since I can remember. Even as a young boy, I loved writing stories and poetry. I was the weird kid in school who enjoyed the writing assignments. Essays and papers were not a nuisance for me so much as an opportunity...an opportunity to write. It was out of this love for writing that I began writing blog posts for my blog "such is life." in 2008. Nearly 200 blogs later, I still love writing.
So, if I love writing so much and "such is life" satisfied my desire to write and people actually read it, why would I scrap "such is life." and start a new blog? Let me attempt to answer that question.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a Christian. As a God-fearing man, I desire to constantly grow in my faith. (Unfortunately I have not always done such a good job of putting this desire to practice.) In order to grow, I read the Bible and pray on a consistent basis.
Lately as I have been seeking God during my devotions (times of praying and reading the Word), I have realized that God is working on some specific areas in my life. One particular area that the Lord has been working on in my heart is stewardship.
Merriam-Webster's online dictionary (www.m-w.com) defines stewardship this way: "the conducting, supervising or managing of something; especially : the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care."
The concept of stewardship in the Christian world is based on the belief that everything we have ultimately comes from God. James 1:17 (ESV) says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." Indeed, God has given us all that we have. And He doesn't give them to us to keep. He gives them to us to manage. So instead of us owning things, we are simply responsible for the things that God owns and has entrusted to us.
Stewardship can basically be broken down into the following three areas (well alliterated, might I add):
1. Treasures (all of our possessions - money, food, clothes, shelter, stuff, etc.)
2. Time (all of the time we have in each day)
3. Talents (all that we are gifted to do)
I had been praying about being a good steward for some time, but only really when it came to the first one: treasures. And really, I only focused on money. But this past week as I was praying, I felt challenged to include the other two areas: time and talents.
I began by praying for God to enable me to be a better steward with all my treasures (not only my money, but all my stuff). This proved to be a simple, brief prayer as God had already begun working on this area in my life recently. Prayer always seems simpler and briefer for me when I've already acknowledged the need for that area of my life and already begun taken steps to improve it (through God, of course).
Next, I prayed that God would enable me to be a good steward with my time. Although I hadn't been specifically praying for my stewardship in this area, it is also an area in my life that God had already begun working on recently. This proved to be another simple, brief prayer.
Finally, I prayed that God would enable me to be a good steward with my talents. I simply and briefly worked my way through this one as well...until I felt like God was challenging me. I felt like God was showing me that I wasn't working on this area. Not working on it? I mean, I'm in ministry as a pastor because I'm using the talent he gave me. This should have been a quick check in the old box for me. If only that's how it works. But it's not. Instead, God began to challenge my heart. He began revealing to me a talent that I wasn't surrendering to him: writing.
More specifically, God began to show me how I was wasting my talent by spending all of my time writing about pointless and useless musings. The whole point of "such is life." when I created it was to discuss random things that went on inside my head. "such is life." was never designed to give glory to God. And that's where I had missed the boat.
As I continued praying about this area over the next few days, it became clear to me what I needed to do. I needed to discontinue "such is life." and begin blogging for Him. You see, writing is not my talent. Writing is God's talent that He has given me stewardship over. I felt very strongly in my spirit that I should no longer write for the sake of writing (read: wasting the talent God has blessed me with) but write for the sake of God's glory.
So, this is why I started my new blog. I realize and accept the fact that some of the readers of "such is life." might decide not to read this blog. But I no longer want pleasing people to take priority over pleasing God in my writing. I believe that God will direct the right people to the right blog posts at the right time. I guess I'll just let Him figure my readership out. I hope that you will continue to read and that this blog will prove to be an inspiration and encouragement to you.
This all happened because I wasn't being a good steward of what God had given me to manage.
How about you? Do you struggle with your stewardship of what God has given you, as I did? Or maybe I can ask some of you if you struggle to view all that you have as really being God's? I could tell you that as a Christian I have never struggled with that. I would, of course, be lying. Sometimes I forget that everything is God's. Regardless of where you may be at, let me encourage you to take positive steps in the right direction today. Start taking your stewardship seriously. I think you might be shocked by the results of such a step.
in His strength. for His glory.
