The Christian Writer: Write from Your Soul

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul” (Matthew 26:24-26, KJV)?

A Faustian Bargain

Selling your soul by pursuing only money or fame through writing is a Faustian bargain. There may be hell to pay. Not just a place of fire and brimstone but an emotional distress so troubling that it can only be cured by God’s grace. A deep connection with your own soul is so precious that having it severed is spiritual death.

Of Supreme Value

“So important is this soul that without it there is nothing of value in life. Outer things by themselves are not evil, but without the soul they are of no importance. With no soul-connection to oneself, one’s life will come to nothing in the ethic of the kingdom of God” (The Kingdom Within: The Inner Meaning of Jesus’ Sayings by John A. Sanford, p.126).

Be Heard

Having established the spiritual importance of soul, now you need to write from it. How can you tell if you deviate from writing from your soul? Your soul will tell you. By inundating you with various bodily symptoms, bad dreams and other unpleasantness.  You can avoid these troubles by being true to your soul . . . true to God.  Even if your soul’s words are like a voice crying in the wilderness, let them be heard.

Photo Credit: Photo by Ernestine Manowarda at Flickr Creative Commons

Linked to Thought Provoking Thursday.