February Fruits: Joy

Author's Character Series
February Fruits: Joy
Net's Notation Tuesdays

And we write these things to you so that your joy may be full.
(1 John 1:4)

Isn’t that a beautiful verse? It speaks to us as Christian writers.

Today’s fruit is joy.

First, though, I have to say that I don’t believe that verse is speaking about always writing happy, happy words. Rather, it’s about endorsing joy because we write for God. Does the verse mean the story can’t delve into tough places before ending with hope? Nope. It means we offer something the world doesn’t—hope. And hope brings joy.

We can’t impart joy, without having a firm grip on gladness ourselves. As God’s authors, we have joy inside us from past experience:

Joy overcame during tough seasons.

Joy displayed despite tough times.

Joy because you believed God when all circumstances implied otherwise.

And as His authors, we’re called to share this with our readers.

Let’s get practical.

I believe joy comes from insights.

As you spend time in God’s Word, He gives you insights about His character, His plans. Ever opened to a page of the Bible where the verses spoke directly to your situation? And not only did the verses address that situation, they offered direction or a promise. Those times bring joy.

In a smaller way, (of course), as your readers devour your books (non-fiction or fiction), may the insights you unfold bless them with joy. May they bring breakthroughs in your readers’ thinking and mindsets. May those insights point with praise to God, so all may rejoice, so their joy may be full.

Let’s embrace (risk?) joy. God’s kingdom is unshakable. We can rejoice because this isn’t all there is. We will see Him. We can point others to Him. He puts His joy inside us, and we bear fruit. Joy is a part of the author’s character.

February Fruits: Love

AUTHOR'S CHARACTER SERIES
FEBRUARY FRUITS: LOVE
NET'S NOTATION TUESDAYS

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,
but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
(1 Corinthians 13:1)

Love is a topic worthy of a year’s worth of posts.

The entire thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians spells out love’s virtues.

But let’s focus in on this fruit of the Spirit by paraphrasing the above verse for us writers:

Though I write with the eloquence of humans and of angels, if I don’t have love, I come across as annoying; I produce about as much lasting effect as a toddler banging on a cymbal.

Love infuses our writing, our work, with value.

Love motivates us to reach out to readers, to seek to minister to them.

Love directs our path to story elements which we’d likely avoid (as they’re difficult), if we weren’t directed by love.

Love overrules selfishness.

Love penetrates reader’s hearts with truth paired with kindness. That way it’s easier to absorb.

In the life of God’s authors, love coexists peacefully with hope (“love hopes all things”). Love and hope take hands and feed our aspirations.

Love serves.

Love trusts God.

Love is compassionate.

Love is not bitter.

As God roams the garden of our hearts, does He find love growing there with hope and faith? Let’s ask Him for a greater love for our readers. I believe God will honor that prayer for the sake of His authors' characters, and for the sake of our readers.

February Fruits: Hope

Author's Character Series
February Fruits: Hope
Net's Notation Tuesdays

Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope.
Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.
(Zech. 9:12, NKJV)

Following last week’s topic of faith, today we’ll zero in on hope. They're very closely related.

I’m a prisoner of hope. Not only in my writing life, but in my personal life. There are promises I’m waiting on God to fulfill. And I can’t let them die. I can’t ignore them, deny them, stuff them under the rug. Instead, I wait on God, trying not to quench His Holy Spirit (see 1 Thess. 5:19). In this way, hope holds me prisoner.

Are there promises you’re waiting on God to fulfill in your life? Are you hoping in God for a breakthrough in a certain area?

Here’s how I think hope grows in us. We hope for a breakthrough in God. He grants it. We praise Him and risk hoping for something greater. Our faith is stretched in the meantime. Eventually we see that second “item” or “event” happen. But what if we have to wait?

Waiting is hope’s meadow.

It’s in the waiting that we find peace when we hope in God.

Waiting requires hope.

Hope is a fruit of the Spirit. God calls us to hope.

And because we can’t let go of whatever it is God’s promised us, or we’ve asked from Him, we become prisoners of hope.

But look at that first verse above: the prisoners of hope are promised a double restoration.

Hope is a choice and a fruit. You’ll find hope where it was forced through the soil by a season of waiting. You’ll find hope where a blessing long promised manifests.

In the mature author’s character, God will find hope.

Are there areas where you need to risk having hope? Don’t worry, hope will not disappoint.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Romans 15:13, NKJV)