Persevering through disappointment
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1:2-3
It’s hard to be joyful and thankful when things don’t work out the way we want them to. Whenever I get a rejection letter from an editor for a proposed article, I’m disappointed. “That would have moved my career ahead so much!” I lament to myself.
At those times I think of the words Christian singer Twila Paris said to me during an interview for Power for Living Magazine a few years ago. This singer/songwriter has written tunes that for over two decades have been widely recognized for their unique worshipful quality, underscoring her reputation as a modern- day psalmist.
It could be easy for someone of Twila’s stature to be sidetracked by pride, but with the Lord’s help she has kept her focus where it ought to be—on the Lord and on ministering to his people. More than two decades after her first recording her sense of mission remains strong.
“One of the most meaningful things to me—way beyond whether an album sells or whether a song goes to number one on the charts—is when people take a song that God has given me and returns it to Him in worship,” she says. “Then it’s being used for its ultimate purpose—to return worship back to the One who gave it in the first place. That’s incredible.”
Genuine, heartfelt worship is the chord that runs through all of Twila’s music. Since the beginning of her career, she has drawn strength from the poeticism of the psalms and other verses that exalt the Lord’s name. She finds instruction for worship in Romans 11:36: “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (NAS)
“For years, whenever I read that Scripture, I pictured a cycle of giving,” says Twila. “My particular gifts and everyone’s gifts are all good things that come from God. When those things are offered back to Him, I feel like our lives are properly aligned.”
From this I remember that my writing is my gift to God. As long as I keep that firmly in place, He will honor it in His time and place. When I get discouraged, I remember He is developing perseverance in me to help me get through life by depending on Him.
What encourages you to keep trying as a writer or towards any goal you’ve set for yourself?
Take care,
KR
It’s hard to be joyful and thankful when things don’t work out the way we want them to. Whenever I get a rejection letter from an editor for a proposed article, I’m disappointed. “That would have moved my career ahead so much!” I lament to myself.
At those times I think of the words Christian singer Twila Paris said to me during an interview for Power for Living Magazine a few years ago. This singer/songwriter has written tunes that for over two decades have been widely recognized for their unique worshipful quality, underscoring her reputation as a modern- day psalmist.
It could be easy for someone of Twila’s stature to be sidetracked by pride, but with the Lord’s help she has kept her focus where it ought to be—on the Lord and on ministering to his people. More than two decades after her first recording her sense of mission remains strong.
“One of the most meaningful things to me—way beyond whether an album sells or whether a song goes to number one on the charts—is when people take a song that God has given me and returns it to Him in worship,” she says. “Then it’s being used for its ultimate purpose—to return worship back to the One who gave it in the first place. That’s incredible.”
Genuine, heartfelt worship is the chord that runs through all of Twila’s music. Since the beginning of her career, she has drawn strength from the poeticism of the psalms and other verses that exalt the Lord’s name. She finds instruction for worship in Romans 11:36: “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (NAS)
“For years, whenever I read that Scripture, I pictured a cycle of giving,” says Twila. “My particular gifts and everyone’s gifts are all good things that come from God. When those things are offered back to Him, I feel like our lives are properly aligned.”
From this I remember that my writing is my gift to God. As long as I keep that firmly in place, He will honor it in His time and place. When I get discouraged, I remember He is developing perseverance in me to help me get through life by depending on Him.
What encourages you to keep trying as a writer or towards any goal you’ve set for yourself?
Take care,
KR
posted by Kayleen | 4:29 AM
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