The Heart Behind the Pen: Finding Your Creative Voice

 “When I am with Him there, nothing frightens me. But the slightest diversion away from Him is painful to me. Spending time in God’s presence doesn't weaken the body. Leaving the seemingly innocent and permissible pleasure of the world for a time will, on the contrary, give us comfort. The only requirement is that we place our confidence entirely in God. Abandon any other concerns, including any special devotions you’ve undertaken simply as a means to an end.”

~ 3rd Letter, The Practice of the Presence of God (Whitaker House, 1982)

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Discovering Faith-Driven Purpose Through Brother Lawrence 

If I could use the entire letter here, I probably would. The third letter in my copy of this timely little book is just that meaningful to me. Never in my life have words been so plainly stated that I dropped everything to digest them.

When I read this the first time, I wasn’t trying to build a lifelong career out of being a faith-based author or Christian storyteller. My focus wasn’t on creating stories that could possibly stand the test of time; I was trying to figure out who I really was as a person.

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Lessons from Leading Worship to Finding Your Voice 

It was then that I believe my understanding of worship started to truly find its way into my heart and mind. At the time, I was leading a brass worship band and learning the ropes of church ministry and devotional leadership. One day, the pastor pulled me into his office and asked if I would read this book and then start leading devotions at each practice.

I’ll be honest: I was a little shocked.

“Why would we do devotions at a band practice?” I asked him.

“Matthew, what is the purpose of this band?” he replied.

“To provide music for the service,” I offered.

“Are you sure about that? Because we call it a worship service for a reason.”

We even moved it from the front of the sanctuary to the back once everything was said and done—a change that was unheard of. Brass bands have always been a huge thing in this denomination. More on that when we get to The Unquenchable Worshiper by Matt Redman.

With all of that said, reading The Practice of the Presence of God opened my eyes to many things I needed to change in my own life.

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Inviting God Into the Creative Process 

Moving into my first years as a storyteller, what I learned while leading that worship band still pulsated within me. My first book was a Christian devotional titled Ahavah: Writings for the Journey, designed as a collection of faith reflections and spiritual letters. It essentially mimicked the style of Brother Lawrence's book while sharing my experiences with God rather than his.

Writing it changed me drastically, but not as much as my more recent books have. When I wrote that first book, I was just learning what editing a story meant. Thankfully, I had a writing instructor as an editor, who made that book look much better than I ever could have. What surprised me about working with her, though, was how much prayer she put into our sessions together.

It wasn’t because she was worried about anything. We prayed because she wanted to invite God into the editing process with us. It wasn’t about asking God to make the pages shine; we prayed because He deserved the glory in the midst of it all. Still, the whole idea of giving my writing completely over to God from the beginning only came after I took a five-year hiatus from writing.

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Overcoming Fear, Fear of Judgment, and Writer’s Hiatus 

Those five years taught me some difficult life lessons that I’m still trying to process today. The reason I quit writing in the first place was that I was terrified of what people would say about my work. As I pondered why this was the case, I thought about the root of it all, it was my own fears that kept my writing locked away and my stories hidden on a digital shelf.

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Surrendering Your Story: Writing for God’s Glory 

When I think about the third letter from The Practice of the Presence of God today, I reflect on what I have learned along the way. My goal with any faith-filled story isn’t about chasing market success; it’s about aligning my creative writing process with God’s purpose and inviting Him to join me along the way.

I am a writer, but in order to be successful in His eyes, I must also give every story to Him. By doing this wholeheartedly, I can begin to let go of my concerns and fears about what will happen once my story is out there. Anxiety breathes fear into our hearts and minds. When we offer ourselves, and our stories, freely into the act of worship, that anxiety takes a step back and our faith can shine brighter.

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Reflective Takeaway

When we surrender our creative efforts to God, writing stops being a performance measured by the world around us. It becomes an act of worship that frees us from the fears we face every day. Giving your writing as worship is the first step toward that surrender.

Join the Conversation:

What is one book or piece of advice that completely changed how you view your personal calling?" 

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I’d love to hear where you are in your writing journey right now!