By: Alexandria Grace
Paul, to me, is one of the most fascinating individuals within the pages of the Bible.
With a personality so contradictory and multifaceted—a voice both like that of a lion and a lamb
—living as slave and freeman; a man of weakness and strength, he was simultaneously gentle
and harsh. Paul had moods that seemed to shift from piping hot to freezing cold, and he appeared
restless but resolved; a fireball of energy that was subdued by his submission to God.
He is truly an awe-inspiring figure to look up to, especially as a writer.
Though Paul lived centuries ago, the Word of God is timeless, therefore the treasure trove of
Paul’s life and ministry, full of gems of wise advice, is still very much applicable in this day and
age. For the literary geeks and word nerds, especially, Paul has a lot of tips and tricks to take note
of within his writings that can encourage and equip writers to pen the words the King has placed
in their own hearts.
Today, I’m going to unpack five amazing nuggets of gold I’ve grasped ahold of after reading
Paul’s letters many times over the course of my Christian walk, and hopefully after reading,
you’re just as excited and motivated as I am to pick up your pen and pour your creativity out
onto paper.
Paul is credited with writing 13 of the 27 books in the New Testament (Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2
Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1
Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon). That’s nearly half!
Though you don’t have to write
13 books within the span of a almost two decades, like Paul, you can write on a consistent basis
to grow in your craft.
Constantly picking up your pen and recording your words on paper is the
best and possibly the simplest way to get better at writing!
When you actively pursue your pen
and paper, the more natural, and in most cases, even easier it will become. So write, write, and
WRITE.
Every epistle Paul wrote was written for different reasons, but one thing all his writings have in
common is that they were created to meet the needs of other people, and sometimes even his own
needs, to benefit the Kingdom of God.
The book of Romans was written to give strength to the
believers in Rome, and Paul asked for prayer on his behalf for the sake of his ministry within
the letter, too.
Ephesians was mainly penned to remind both Jewish believers and the Gentile
believers that they were a part of the same family unit.
Galatians was composed to both clarify
and uphold the one true Gospel, and Paul did so by defending his ministry and how the truth he
spoke was practical for the daily life of every Christian.
There are so many examples, but these
are just a few to remind you that your words could hold the answers to the questions a person
might have.
Your writing could offer clarity to confusion and bring faith to the those who are
losing their own, hope to the one who is feeling hopeless, and love to those who desperately need
it most.
Your writing could meet the needs of others while also meeting your needs, too.
Paul wrote his epistles in numerous places and in a number of different circumstances, most
of which weren’t pretty or comfortable.
Books like Philippians and Colossians, among others,
were written from prison.
Paul wrote Romans in Corinth, Greece, penning that particular letter
out of a desire to visit Rome one day.
Sometimes, like Paul, you’re not always where you want to
be and are in situations that make you feel like you’re locked behind bars.
But just like Paul, you
shouldn’t let the chains of this life strip you of your freedom in Christ.
In any situation, whether
good or bad, you should pick up your pen and fight the good fight, writing your stories or poems
or blog posts for the glory of God.
Don’t let your circumstances, whether great or poor, stop you
from pursuing your pen and paper.
In all of his epistles, Paul gave credit where it belonged. In the beginnings and ends of his letters,
Paul always made it known that God was deserving of all the glory. He continually gave thanks
to Christ and prayed when opening and finishing his writings, dedicating his words to the One
who put them in his heart and mind. Paul knew where his giftings and talents came from, and he
always gave them back to God for Him to use fully and completely.
Along with giving God the
praise, Paul also took the time in many of his epistles to specifically mention friends, colleagues
and even mentors who were used as Christ’s vessels that encouraged and equipped him to serve
and submit (read Romans 16 if you’d like a visual).
Like Paul, you should be gracing credit
where it’s due. Thanking God, uplifting His name in your work, is vital, and if there are people
God has used to help you pursue your call to writing, appreciating them should be second most
important to thanking God and giving Him the glory.
One of the the most intriguing things about Paul is that he didn’t hide his personality when he
wrote.
In fact, it seems he did the complete opposite; Paul appears to have let himself and his
thoughts, opinions, and ideas bleed through his work.
Paul was so grounded in God’s firm rock
of truth that he wasn’t swayed by the world when expressing himself.
Paul’s feelings were in submission to
facts; his heart was in submission to God’s mind just as his mind was in submission to God’s
heart.
You might be afraid to let yourself show through your writing, whether that be because of
fear of revealing who you truly are to others or fear of jeopardizing God’s unchanging character
with your changing one, but whatever the reason, rest assured that when you give your words
back to God, when you base your writing off of His Word, your imperfections are what give way
to His perfection.
Grace be with you all,
Alexandria Grace.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Alexandria Grace is a dreamer, a doer, and a daughter of the King. She is a writer who knows her pen is a powerful weapon, and desires to encourage and equip women, young and old, through her writing in the truth that they’re both princesses and warriors. In her free time, she enjoys drinking excessive amounts of tea, getting lost in a good book and watching Disney movies.
New! Comments
Hey girls! I would love to hear your thoughts. Leave me a comment in the box below!