Feel like a Hypocrite?

It took years for my relationship with Christ to get where it is today. Even as solid as it is now, I'm still human and I still find myself wanting to do bad things. I know that hypocrite feeling well.

I say go ahead and write the piece. The Lord may be nudging you with this idea because he knows that when you write it, you'll end up discovering things about yourself and/or your relationship with him that you might not have found out about otherwise. At least at this time in your life anyway.

And I actually wish I could come up with a good Christian fiction idea myself. I've been trying for years. (So I totally know the hypocritical feeling -- I'm supposed to try to do everything for the Lord yet all I seem to write for is myself and YA's! )

I hope all that makes sense Meggy....and trust yourself. You're a good person.

Perhaps writing this novel is God's way of drawing you closer to Him. If we all waited until we were right with God before we did anything, we'd never get anything done.

I agree. God doesn't expect us to be perfect - he just wants us to do our best.

Roger is spot on. I've even heard preachers say there are times when they don't feel like preaching. So go for it. See what develops.

If God waited around for perfect tools, we wouldn't have a Bible full of greats who disobeyed direct commands (Moses banging on the rock), adulterers (David), doubters (Gideon and Thomas), or people who chickened out when the going got rough (like the apostles running out of the garden at the last minute).

I think the trick is to preach the right thing, admit you don't always live up to it, and then let God work on you to the point that you reach your ideals. That's humility, not hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is preaching the right thing, pretending you have all your ducks in a row, and then doing whatever wrong thing you feel like doing.

God wants passion but knows we don't usually manage perfection. That's why God told Paul his strength was "made perfect in weakness" and Paul said we have this treasure "in earthen jars." I'm on the bandwagon with all the other smarties here and say go for it!

I am glad that you have such sensitivity to ethics with regard to your writing plans. That tells me that God is working in your heart already. It is through his work, already progressing, that we are able to begin to see the darkness within us. Only by the reference point of light does darkness discover itself. As that beam creeps deeper into our hearts, and we try to correct our errors, we find that we are only able to mend the easy stuff. We come to a point where we can go no farther on our own power. We can try as we might, but we fall on our faces, painfully and repeatedly. It is good that we try. We should always try to be obedient to God. That is the frontier of our relationship with him, through Jesus. And this is how we become finally, thoroughly convinced that we are bankrupt in our virtue account. We cannot become worthy of a relationship with God by meeting his standard of perfection, or by fulfilling our side of an agreement. When we come to this point, the enormous value of Christ's redemptive gift begins to dawn upon us. This is where we can really surrender, accept Gods grace, and step, in faith, onto a bridge we could never build. This is where obedience with a new motive begins. It is not obedience based on fear of being disconnected from God. He is always there. It is obedience based on reciprocal love: a desire to please God and light up this path for anyone who will walk it.

I have only taken a few short steps along this path (usually, three steps foreward, and two steps back), and I will not say that it is easy. But it is deeply fulfilling and we always have help. It is easier for those of us who follow because the path is fairly well defined. It was blazed by giants.

I know this is a very round-about way of responding to your question, but there was a soap box just lying there.

I agree with those who encourage you to write your book. Writing clarifies, organizes and developes my thoughts. I hear others claim the same benifits. God is clearly calling you. The path to him may be paved with letters.

Hi and welcome to the club. I felt motivated to write a short work while being lazy on the couch. I did not feel particularly close to Him when I started but when I finished the second page and edited the work I realized that the Spirit had reached out to me. It has made a change in my life. And as He does, it turned into the first writing that will be published. I donated it to a church I attended 25 years ago that was recently destroyed by arson. They will be using it as a fund raising tool.

I believe Him to be right. I feel now I was not ignored just kept to one side for a purpose that is not yet clear to me.

If you feel you are not close to Him yet are worried about your relationship perhaps you don't recognize that you really do have Him in your heart.

Wow, all great replies!

I look at it this way--even if you aren't "called" to write a certain piece, as long as it honors Him He loves a volunteer!

I don't think any of us have that "perfect" relationship with God, no matter what beliefs we hold. All God asks of us is to try our best. Many times I'll write a humorous religious piece to get myself to lighten up over what I feel are my inadequacies in God's eyes.

Whether or not you have a great relationship with G-d, doing good is always a good thing. Don't hold back just because you feel inadequate, because frankly, G-d has used inadequate-feeling people in the past. Look at some of the great Old Testament figures: Moses, who said, "Who am I, L-rd, that you should send me?"; Gideon, who needed several signs from G-d to know whether or not he was really called, and hid many of his G-dly activities from the public for fear of their retribution. Look at Rahab, a prostitute, whom G-d used to bring salvation to her entire family as the rest of the city of Jericho came tumbling down.

Another good example is David, who ordered a woman's husband left behind in battle so he could hide the fact he had had sex with her. And Abraham, who asked G-d how a man in his old age could father a son, let alone many nations.

No matter what you believe about your relationship with G-d, He can use you to do mighty works for Him. Your relationship with G-d is not all that far removed from that of Moses, or Rahab, or David, or Abraham at one point in time or another. It's simply a matter of being willing to let Him work through you.

I hope this post finds you well, and I hope you have a good St. Valentine's Day. I wish you the very best with your endeavors.

Smiles- I'm going to answer this question with a two-pronged answer. It depends.

Character is needed to become a fireman. But if there's a fire and the building is burning, if the fireman is debating if he's worthy of being a fireman instead of putting out the fire, he's missing the point.

Our having gifts from God is not about us. In 1 Corinthians 13-14, these chapters speak of motivations. 1) Love 2) Building others up out of love 3) Building ourselves up.

So if we've been given the ability to serve or administrate, and don't do that someone is hurting.

If I waited to be perfect to help others, they'd die waiting.

But are there exceptions? Yes. And in a sense, this is why it's good to be under some kind of spiritual authority, someone who really knows you and your struggles. In a sense, they can help you make the decision of whether to jump in or wait.

Here's why. We struggle with all sorts of things, contrary to what some might have you believe. Hebrews 12 speaks of besetting sins- those things that easily trip people up. Everyone may have a different kind of sin that fits that category. For Paul it was pride, and he admits it, and even admits that God had to send hardships into his life to keep him humble. Paul also admitted that he never achieved the level he was looking for, but he spoke of the upward call- meaning we should be moving in a positive direction even if we're never going to reach perfect.

Here's another side- the higher the gift that God gives us, the more our character faults can hurt others. So, for this reason it's again wise to be accountable to others. They might say, "Go ahead with this project..." or they may say "Wait." A servant who blows it can be restored much easier than someone with a high profile teaching gift or other public type gift. Or I shouldn't say "be restored", but to come to that place where they are not so scrutinized or where their chances of falling isn't going to destroy them or others in the process.

There's no one answer to this question. But I think the safest place is to let mature Christians know exactly what you're dealing with and what you're weakness is- again finding someone who is appropriate to that task, which many are not.

I think your question has been answered accurately but let me add something I hope you will always remember. "Feelings" are one of Satan's best tools against humans. I've been saved 30 plus years. Do I feel saved?
No, but God's Word says I am. I have felt at times that I was in love. In a few days that feeling faded.
As a person stated above about Paul, apparently Paul did not FEEL he was in a perfect position with God. Many times I have witnessed to people, and certainly didn't feel worthy to do so. Most of the times I pray, I don't feel like praying.
If there is anything you can do for God, don't let your feelings get in the way.
God Bless,
Jim

'He who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it.'
It's a verse (paraphrased perhaps-we sing it as a praise song,) sorry that I cannot remember which scripture.
Our lives are in process.
Write the story, let Him continue His work in you.

Provrb1810meggy said:

I have this one idea for a Christian YA novel that I'd love to write, based off of the book of Ruth. The problem is, I'd feel like a hypocrite if I'd write and publish it. I'm not the closest to God. I don't have the best relationship. It's not at the best place it's ever been. I'm not always a nice person. You know, that type of thing... So, my question to you is, have you ever felt this way? Do you wait until your relationship with God is in a better place before writing a Christian piece, or do you jump right in?

Click to expand...

oh, hon!!! No, jump right in. It sounds like the Holy Spirit is guiding you. Just listen to Him, do what He says. He'll give you guidance. And no, dear, you're not a hypocrite. Remember, God NEVER makes you feel like a hypocrite, never!! He's too much in love with you to ever make you feel that way. Just write. You don't have to be perfect, just love God, that's all.

kim

I just submitted an article to a Christian Mag. I'm pagan. Yea, it feels a little funny, but I have something relevant to say.