I’m a huge Tyler Perry fan because everything he writes
deals with moral issues and contains messages of hope.
I recently watched his movie “Good Deeds.” In the story, Wesley Deeds (Tyler Perry) is a
successful, wealthy businessman who has always done what’s been expected. Those
expectations involved how he handled his father’s company, his brother’s
misbehavior, and his upcoming marriage. But when he gets involved helping a
down-on-her-luck single mother, something changes in him. He begins moving
towards the life he’s always really wanted.
I relate to Wesley Deeds in this story. I grew up trying to
please people—trying to make everyone else happy. People pleasing can be
emotionally, mentally, and physically draining. And it can leave a person
feeling pretty unhappy and unfulfilled inside if taken to a certain level.
Like Wesley, I’m fortunate. I had people along the way who
made it clear that I didn’t have to “please others.” I only needed to please
God.
The writer’s life is not an easy one. Okay . . . that’s an understatement. It’s
actually filled with hard work. Sometimes, it can even be downright painful to
see other writers receive contracts and accolades while we receive—once again—a
rejection from a publisher or an agent. But some of us may also struggle with
the following:
- Family members or friends who don’t believe in us
- Pressure to focus on careers outside of writing
- People who have strong opinions on what we should be writing
- A current market that isn’t excited about our genre
- A desire to prove to others that we are bona fide writers
- A yearning to receive praise from our family, friends, and peers
You know what the Bible says? “Guard your heart above all else, for it
determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23 NLT). Wow! That’s powerful!
We can try to please other people and write for them. We can
try to write for ourselves and fame. Or we can focus on pleasing God and
writing for him.
What is your true calling? What does your heart tell you? It will determine your course.
Are you struggling (or have you struggled) with some of the things listed above? How do you handle situations, people, or temptations that threaten to steer you off course?
~ Dawn
