Honing a Resilient Voice

So I just received one of those form rejection letters. You know, the kind. It’s a mix of “way to go, keep doing what you are doing” and “but… yeah, you’re not good enough yet, try again,” all rolled up into a succinct little 250-word package. 

After several of these, the sting of rejection isn’t there like the first time when I felt like I got punched in the gut.

Because with this submission, I’d already won. 

I didn’t give up. 

Even at this time of publication rest, I’ve been privately writing. I belong to a writing community that issues writing challenges throughout the year. So I decided to submit it while mulling over ideas for most of the two-week challenge. 

Then with a deadline of midnight PT, even though I really wanted to throw in the towel, I didn’t quit. And I submitted something less than what I wanted but decidedly more than my desperately needy emotional and physical body could have produced at that moment.

I know the piece I wrote came together in the final deadline moments in a way that wasn’t brought together by my strength. 

My strength had given up.

But God’s hadn’t. 

God has been teaching me about my motivations for writing and purifying them. At first, it was all about publication—the blog – a way for me to be seen and heard. But, then, I think I was trying to redeem myself by searching for my worth and value in the applause and approval of publishing. 

I’m learning that my voice is not for just any audience but a specific audience God has prepared for me to serve. I knew that lesson intellectually, but my reaction to rejection betrayed my true heart. I want people to like what I write, which can wrongly motivate me.

Following God in this writing journey is not making sure people like what I write but that I speak what He wants me to say. I’m thankful He’s honing my voice. Giving me the curiosity and courage to know more and more about the unique voice made accessible by Jesus and that He’s purifying my motivation and will supply the words to speak and write.

God has taught me that rejection isn’t the end of our story; it builds resilience and purifies our character when we don’t give up.