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Hello guys, I have a question. How do you discern if an idea for something is from God? I have an idea for a book though I’m not sure if it’s from God, myself, or the devil, and have been too scared to do something with it for fear of not doing God’s will/doing something the devil wants. This fear has also leaked into other book ideas and I have not written seriously for some time now.
So, how do you discern thoughts/ideas for certain things?"No! Monkeys should have pets, all monkeys should have pets!"
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@linus-smallprint
@highscribeofaetherium, @theducktator, @keilah-h, @thearcaneaxiom, @ellette-giselle @rae @anyone else"No! Monkeys should have pets, all monkeys should have pets!"
well, I don’t think this is going to be a one-size-fits-all-easy-answer. However, I’m willing to share what I do.
so, I get said idea wether it be plot, character, or scene. From there I write it down in a special journal specifically for this purpose. Then, I pray about it. I ask God to guide me and speak through my writing. I ask that He would be the center of what I’m doing. From there I graph characters add bullet points, etc. If I feel God showing me this isn’t a good story, then I don’t write it. I explicitly ask Him to show me that. And then I listen. Sometimes I just feel like there is something wrong about the story. Other times I get an unexpected inspiration to change something in the plot.
Now, when I’m writing I pray. I pray for God to guide me, I pray for inspiration, I pray for Him to help me out of writer’s blocks. However, whatever I’m writing I keep God at the center. I keep His Word as the foundation of my whole message. Sometimes it’s subtle, sometimes it’s obvious. But, if I cannot do it, then there has to be something wrong with the plot. God can, (and should) be the center of every aspect of our lives. If He can’t be the center of your story then something is wrong. I often find a few verses or a concept or passage from the Bible to use as a framework.
also, another idea would be to ask why you are writing the story? Because it’s fun? Because it thrills you or the reader? Because it would sell well? Because you know someone who would like it? Because you’re board? Because you had a great idea? Because you wanted to do something similar to a movie you saw except not do that super stupid twist that destroys the story? All of these are good motives, if they are not the ONLY motive. There has to be more. The has to be a message, and Christ should be the center of that message. Again, it can be subtle or it can be plain as day. But it should be there. We belong to a Kingdom and we serve a King. The King of kings. The world should be able to see that.
well, those are my thoughts. I hope they are helpful.
Riker dropped his voice to a soft whisper. “…I’m home.”
Ummm I think as long as you’re enjoying yourself and not entertaining any sin in your story, God’s on your side 🙃 God gave you a sense of creativity and you aren’t doing anything wrong by using it. I also believe it’s fine to tell a story just for the fun of it. God also created us to be perceptive, social beings who want to have fun together.
He doesn’t want us to feel paranoid about our abilities and whether they glorify him. We’re already his children and we glorify him just by eating, drinking, and existing. God, by saving you, has now saved you from the Devil. You do not have to feel afraid, okay? If your story is somehow a manifestation of selfishness, you’ll get your butt kicked sooner or later 🤣 It does happen, but it isn’t life-wrecking or anything. You’ll eventually learn.
And I don’t think you have to include Christ in it. (That’s just my perspective! Others believe differently and that’s okay!) God doesn’t mind it when you have fun.
If you feel worried about it, imagine God looking down at you as you’re having fun a whole world out of words. He loves you and likes it when you create things, whether or not you are talking about his son, his creation, or just a winged bunny on a great adventure.
It’s like he is watching his child, telling him a dream 🙃
“Everything is a mountain”
Also I’m sorry if this has worried you so much to make this post ❤️❤️ I hope you will feel peace of mind after this.
“Everything is a mountain”
I can go into a lot of depth on this topic, but since I’m busy, I’ll just say this. More often than not, the best answer to this exact question is another question: Is it good? If it’s good, do it, who cares if it’s from the Holy Spirit. All good things come from God don’t they? Also, as Christ says, by their fruits you shall know them. Simply test it in small degrees, and see what fruit it bears, if they are good, let that bolster your confidence.
He is perfect in Justice, yet He is perfect in Mercy, even when we fail Him. For this, He is good.
I will try this out, thank you!
Those are good questions, I will think about these things, thanks.
Aww, thank you! I really appreciate that, and thanks for the encouragement.
Thank you all for your advice, I really appreciate it!
"No! Monkeys should have pets, all monkeys should have pets!"
I was reading your post, and I’m sorry to say, that while I do agree with some of what you said, there are other things I disagree with.
We’re already his children and we glorify him just by eating, drinking, and existing.
In a way this is true, God uses everything to His glory, even when we sin. And yes, we should definitely avoid sinning, but that is not the only thing God requires of us. We are told to glorify God in what we eat and drink, and whatever else we do 1 Corinthians 10:31. This is a command, not a statement of the way things are. We need to actively seek to Glorify God. If we avoid sin without bringing glory to God, we fall into a different type of sun: ungodliness.
What is ungodliness? Here is Jerry Bridges’ definition from his book, Respectable Sins (I would highly encourage you all to read this book. It is really eye-opening to sins we Christians often are blind to)
Ungodliness may be defined as living one’s everyday life with little or no thought of God, or of God’s will, or of God’s glory, or of one’s dependence of God.
The Bible is clear that we need to be aware of being godly. Consider James 4:13-17, which tells us that we should even think about God when we talk about our plans for tomorrow. James Tells us we ought to talk about our plans in a godly way, saying that we will do this and that if God wills it. He tells us that if we forget to this, we are boasting as if we are in control of our destinies, and all boasting is evil. If we need to consider God in something as little as telling someone our plans, should we also not seek to be godly in our writing?
So, @theshadow’s concern is legitimate. We do need to not only make sure that our writing avoids entertaining sin but that it also glorifies God. (Shadow, I will answer your question in a minute.)
God gave you a sense of creativity and you aren’t doing anything wrong by using it.
True.
And I don’t think you have to include Christ in it.
I do agree with this. Even Jesus did not include himself in every parable he told. (The parables of The Sower and The Mustard Seed are examples of this.) But when I write stories this way, I still aim to glorify God and show Christ to my readers. I have a friend who is writing an ambitious project aimed at unbelievers. He does mention God, Jesus, or Christianity in it, but he still is seeking to guide his readers to Christ but putting them through a story that will get them to consider what the point of life is, if there is someone behind everything and some other things like that.
This also may not sound fun, but you can still write a story to honour and glorify God while having fun in the process. Being godly is not an obligation, it is a blessing, it’s what we were created to do. And don’t forget, we can find our delight in following God (Psalm 37:4).
So as a Christian Author, it is my goal to honour and glorify God in all that I do and write. To show Christ to others both to lead unbelievers to Him and to encourage and build up other Christians. You may not agree with me, but I encourage you to think this through and to be godly in all that you do. If you want to talk about it more, I am willing to do so.
I do understand your concern. I have written a whole essay on this topic. I have five things for you to help you consider if what you are writing aligns with God’s will.
- As I was telling Whaley, and as Ellette was saying, do a goal check. It is okay to write a story because it is fun or because you want to thrill your readers, but also aim to glorify God in it. If you don’t, why would you take portraying God in fiction seriously?
- Be flexible with your story. If you find your story is in contrast with God’s word, bend the story to fit it. I know this can be hard at times. In a developed story, I once had to remove something because I became convicted it was not good, but since my story was developed, it was like a weed that could not be removed without taking several flowers with it. But you need to trust God when removing it. He may even help you come up with something better for your story.
- Involve others. Sometimes another set of eyes can help you see if there is anything wrong with your idea. We at Kingdom Pen are willing to help you decern your ideas. You can also ask other believers in your life, such as your friends and family. It may be scary to do so, you may fear others judging you for your ideas. But we are willing to help you glorify God in your writing and can help you to think about things in ways you had not before.
- Read and Memorise scripture. While other Christians can help you, it is God’s word that is the absolute authority on what is right and wrong. In Psalm 119:11, the psalmist tells us that he has stored up God’s word in his heart to avoid sinning. The better we know God’s word, the better we can determine whether or not our story ideas are good.
- Pray about it. Ask God to help you to write in a way that is glorifying to Him. Trust in him to help you. Pray for wisdom in how to portray Him correctly (even if God is not directly in your story). Make sure you do not lean on your understanding (Proverbs 3:5) or even anyone else’s understanding, trust in God instead and He will help you to avoid sinning. Do not forget that the Holy Spirit dwells in us (John 14:17). He will help you to avoid sin and write to the glory of God. Depend on Him to help you.
I hope you find these tips helpful. And feel free to share your story idea with us as well, so that we can give you our thoughts on it. (If you don’t want to, that is all right as well, but I encourage you to share it with someone.) God will help you to write stories that honour and glorify him.
Oh someone wants to talk XD Okay
And yes, we should definitely avoid sinning, but that is not the only thing God requires of us. We are told to glorify God in what we eat and drink, and whatever else we do 1 Corinthians 10:31. This is a command, not a statement of the way things are. We need to actively seek to Glorify God. If we avoid sin without bringing glory to God, we fall into a different type of sun: ungodliness.
I am assuming we all see God in our works and in our daily lives. When I said we glorify him just by eating and drinking, I meant that as believers, we know where the food comes from. So we value it differently than some people would, but we don’t need to THINK about where it comes from 24/7, we just believe it. You don’t have to think about something 24/7 to believe. It is the same with writing – I can appreciate it as merely a fun activity, and it’s okay to think of it so simply – because I know my creativity is the result of humans being made in God’s image. We create because God creates.
I probably triggered you by saying ‘avoid sin.’ I’m sorry, I should rephrase that. My point is that your writing glorifies God because you’re living a Christian life and your values obviously restrict your writing :]
If we need to consider God in something as little as telling someone our plans, should we also not seek to be godly in our writing?
Right. But you can really go on forever with this logic… Should I be thinking about God in every sentence I say? Every breath? In the middle of practicing jiu jitsu choke moves on someone? Naahh I can’t do that, dude, my brain isn’t that focused XD I can be aware of God’s existence and believe in him while writing a story about something else. It’s not like I lose spiritual strength if I let my mind explore other topics in my daily life.
In other words, I’m encouraging Shadow to not overthink it. I think many writers micromanage, asking “am I doing this right? What if I’m not including enough God? Aaahhh” and we don’t need to do that.
Say you want to read a book like Where the Wild Things Are or any children’s book, just for the fun of it. Is that ungodly? To micromanage on that level is ridiculously stressful XD
He does mention God, Jesus, or Christianity in it, but he still is seeking to guide his readers to Christ but putting them through a story that will get them to consider what the point of life is, if there is someone behind everything and some other things like that.
What if I’m not writing about the meaning of life? I feel like you can talk about something else and it is still a worthwhile topic, because there is still truth to be found by observing the world 😅 Or you can write something like a nonsense poem, just for the fun of it. Am I wrong somehow?
You may not agree with me, but I encourage you to think this through and to be godly in all that you do.
I agree we should glorify God. I think we disagree on what can glorify God. My perspective is a lot more broad, if that makes any sense :]
If you want to talk about it more, I am willing to do so.
I’ve been defending this position for quite some time, and I am quite tired of being approached with it. I just want to write my apparently-entirely-pointless-from-a-Christian-perspective cartoon comedy in peace, thank you 🙂
“Everything is a mountain”
@theshadow I definitely agree with @whalekeeper on this one
and you can also just talk to God about it. He knows, He gets it, He understands more than you may think He does and cares more than any of us could ever imagine.
He cares about what you care about, and I agree with Whaley that you really don’t have to stress😊 Unless it’s clearly sinful, there’s nothing wrong with writing a story for fun. : 3
I’ll be praying for you, and I hope this calms your worries at least a little💖
What is strength?
Strength, my son, is being who God has called you to be.I really love all of your points💖😂
(and just so you know, your fun little comedic WIP is amazing and still has wonderful characters and amazing lessons and values within it even though it’s ‘just for fun’ 😉🥰)
What is strength?
Strength, my son, is being who God has called you to be.Thanks for the steps, I will use them while discerning, especially number 2. My book idea is one that is set in the middle ages, and originally it was to be set during the Black Death. Over time, however, I think this might be the thing I was stressing over. I was convicted over how dark that time period was, and how I might not be ready to write something like that, so I’m planning on researching a different time in the middle ages for the story. When I begin writing the story, I will post the chapters on KP. Thanks again!
Thanks, and thank you for praying for me!
"No! Monkeys should have pets, all monkeys should have pets!"
@theshadow I’d say just pray about it and then don’t worry. Trust that God will lead you. I think it’s that simple and that excessive anxiety over it is more dangerous than the story itself.
When I begin writing the story, I will post the chapters on KP.
I’m excited to read them! :]
“Everyone wants to save the world, but no one wants to help mom with the dishes.”
I am assuming we all see God in our works and in our daily lives. When I said we glorify him just by eating and drinking, I meant that as believers, we know where the food comes from. So we value it differently than some people would, but we don’t need to THINK about where it comes from 24/7, we just believe it. You don’t have to think about something 24/7 to believe. It is the same with writing – I can appreciate it as merely a fun activity, and it’s okay to think of it so simply – because I know my creativity is the result of humans being made in God’s image. We create because God creates.
I probably triggered you by saying ‘avoid sin.’ I’m sorry, I should rephrase that. My point is that your writing glorifies God because you’re living a Christian life and your values obviously restrict your writing :]
Thank you for your clarification! My main reasons for concern are now gone.
And you know what? After reading through your argument, you are having me rethink my own position on this. I think you do raise some good points, such as overthinking whether or not we are including God enough in our stories. I don’t know if I agree with you entirely, I will need to think through this some more, but you do have me partially convinced. Thank you for sharing more of your side!
(And yes, I do read books just for the fun of it, though it has been some time since I have read Where the Wild Things Are. And I guess I will draw for the fun of it as well.)
I agree we should glorify God. I think we disagree on what can glorify God. My perspective is a lot more broad, if that makes any sense :]
I’ve been defending this position for quite some time, and I am quite tired of being approached with it. I just want to write my apparently-entirely-pointless-from-a-Christian-perspective cartoon comedy in peace, thank you 🙂
Okay. I will let you do that.
(and just so you know, your fun little comedic WIP is amazing and still has wonderful characters and amazing lessons and values within it even though it’s ‘just for fun’ 😉🥰) – freedom
Funny how everything we write is a self-portrait of who we are and what we believe.
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