For Christian Writers/Bloggers: When The Accolades Aren’t There

I had no sooner sent a BC on BBM for last week’s #OnlineBibleStudy when his ping came in…
“When will you ever send me a message to ask me how I am doing?”
I left his message for a while as I tried to decide on the best way to answer him but I found none.
I was really feeling out of sorts that day but spoke to him like normal, did some catching up and forgot about it (actually this post started ringing in my head then)
On friday while I was struggling to get the post for saturday’s love letters done, his words came to me again…
That day I was struggling with scheduling posts with a network that just disappeared when I wanted to schedule posts and I wrote some stuff on my PM (actually I ranted for a bit)
Now, no one knows what people who write/blog go through to get posts up.
That particular wednesday when he sent me the ping, I slept late and woke up early to put up the #OnlineBibleStudy.
Our Bible study is always the longest kind of posts we have on the blog and I type 2000words or more with my phone for it every time we have it.
I study the Bible for myself first and usually use my jotter before transferring to my phone so I can upload, then if there’s no network, I usually climb the hill close to my house just to upload the post.

Someone once told me that he has never seen someone who has so much passion for what she does like I do but I admit, sometimes it gets tiring.

 
I send a BC of a Bible study that blessed my life and can bless yours too and all you have to say is that I don’t “say hi” to you.
I mean, I personally know that I falter in the communication department (thank God for friends that understand me, those whom we don’t talk for weeks but pick up where we left off when we talk), but it’s not like I have all the time to chat just because I send you BCs of links to my blog.

When I was in law school, I used to wake up at 4am to write and schedule posts, then read for a bit, exercise, shower and go to class.
Sometimes, I used to send BCs of links to posts I had written while I was in class. So why would anyone think that I have all the time to chat just because I send you BCs of what I write?
Sincerely, I thought that I had passed this test on being a people pleaser before now but it seems like I haven’t.
Last year when I moved to this site from my word press blog, satan totally dealt with me on the “comments, appreciation and accolades issue”
I almost shut off comments on the blog just so I won’t be worried when I don’t see any comments.
It wasn’t by play play that I had to get “Joyce Meyer’s book – Battlefield of the mind” and dig in.
And I know that I am not alone in this…
Fellow christian writers/bloggers, what happens when you are not being appreciated for your efforts on writing for Jesus?
What happens when the accolades don’t roll in as much as you think that they should roll in?
What happens when you go through the hours on end just to put up a blog post and then don’t see as much as one comment on it?
What happens when you climb a hill, walk around your street at night just to look for network to put a post up (my situation most times) and no one says “well done?”
I know the answer to all these, it is one that God has taught me before and one that necessitated this post last year but obviously, a lesson that I have to learn again…
FIX YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE.
What prize?
The prize of “well done good and faithful servant”
The prize to be gotten for being good stewards of the gift that God has given to you.

I’m not perfect and this blog itself is built on our imperfections.
I think I lost track for a bit on what this is all really about.
The more I struggled with putting up a post on friday, the more I saw my friend’s ping on “saying hi” after I had just sent a post I labored over since early that morning.
I should have seen Jesus, not his ping.
Yes I have to work on my communication issues, but no, his message shouldn’t have thrown me off track from what I am meant to be doing with my gift for God.
And accolades from men or the lack thereof shouldn’t be your drive either.
And it was as if God knew what was going on because I opened my YouVersion Bible app on my phone and guess the verse that was on the homepage that day?

Hebrews 12:1-3
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.”

I think it’s really so easy to lose focus and fall off track when we take our eyes off Jesus and what He has called us to do.
It has nothing to do with men and it has everything to do with Him.
For me to go on a rant on my PM means that what men do/don’t do still shakes me – meaning I still have to let this lesson be drilled into my head.

Are we writing for the applause of men or the applause of God?

Only God’s accolades matter on this journey of using our gift of writing to glorify Him.
More often than not, men will rarely give you a compliment.
If they do, glory be to God, if they don’t, as long as you are all good with God, you are fine.
Stay on track with Him and don’t get derailed.
The prize to be gotten from God at the end of the race is worth a million times more than anything men can give you.

1Corinthians 9:24-25
“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.”

God help us all as we fix our sights on Jesus and not on men even as we use our gifts for His glory.

Have a great week ahead everyone!
Love,
Frances.

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