Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.

The last couple of days, my writing work has been tedious, yet encouraging.

That said, my writing hours have involved precious little writing. Yet, I would definitely call the hours productive. Not only that, they have involved more hours than my “minimum” writing time. I’ve found myself interested, compelled, and driven to keep working when I no longer have to. And I’ve been enjoying myself in the process.

What have I been doing that fits in with all of the above? I have been going through the files on my laptop. Gary and Karl have to do some system updates to my computer this coming weekend and that prompted me to take a look at my directories and documents before I back up everything. What do I need? What is too old to convert to a current format? What are duplicates? (Or triplicates in some instances!)

I have been consolidating and deleting documents. I have been pulling up old Word-Perfect documents, and, if the writing is at least decent, I’ve been saving them as Word documents. I’ve been grouping like items together (like putting all my plays in one place for instance) and labeling what I should refine and market or edit and self-publish.

In other words, I’ve been considering the words and the work I’ve done, trying to serve my Lord.

Does this piece have value? Do I think this story could serve His purposes? Does this grouping of words still bring me joy?

Yes, I’ve had a fair amount published and/or sold. There’s a decent quantity of words out in the world and available for mass consumption that I felt God wanted me to write for one reason or another. Some have been solely to entertain. Others were grouped to edify or teach. Others lie somewhere in between.

But the number of words in the files that have not yet seen publication must be at least ten times as many as what has made it out into the wide, wide world.

As I look at different texts, I know some of those stories or poems or whatever were just for me. They helped me understand my faith a bit better. They gave me words for rejoicing or crying or the trials of life.

But other pieces, coming across them felt like cartoon lightbulbs exploding over my head. These works have potential. And maybe they needed to sit in my files until this year, until this time. Maybe God made sure I forgot about them or had them rejected when I first submitted just so they could be around for today’s audience. Some were abandoned partly completed and now, when I read what’s there, I have a better idea of where to take the message.

These are all things to consider.

After all, A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps (Proverbs 16:9) and, The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. (Psalm 37:23) If I’m trying to grow closer to God (the definition of good), then He is arranging my steps and my circumstances. Right?

Do I know that some of the dreams they inspire will still fall through the cracks?

Yes.

And maybe, ten years from now when I’m doing this kind of review again, I’ll look at those with fresh eyes and have a better sense of direction for them. Or I will then realize that the words were just for me or a friend, not for public distribution.

The point is that while I consider and reconsider the work I have done over the years, I want to do it (and any future writing, too) in whatever way best serves my Lord. And I have to trust, in the meantime, that He knows how and when and if to honor my feeble efforts.

Psalm 90:17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;

    establish the work of our hands for us—

    yes, establish the work of our hands.

It’s something to consider, step by step and day by day.