Into the Fire

. . . isn’t always right. And what feels wrong is sometimes right. And how do we determine the difference? If you’re an emotional person like me, it’s impossible to take that emotion out of the circumstance unless you have virtually no opinion on a matter. In certain instances it can be subdued, but rarely eliminated. Things that don’t matter a whole lot to me take much less to assess, and if I have zero knowledge of the particular incident, I don’t even try to involve myself in an “opinion”.

Objectivity doesn’t exist in my world. And if the truth be known, I doubt it exists much in others’ worlds either. We favor one way or another unless we flat don’t care about something. The problem is sometimes we favor the wrong thing and the reasons for that usually involve the flesh in some capacity. And no one knows better than the Lord of heaven and earth when the flesh is involved and how any shade of objectivity disappears within the darkness of the matter.

Every Christian learns fairly early on that “feelings” can’t be trusted. They also learn that feelings can’t be instantly ejected to some compartmental trash can in the brain either. Yes, some people are far less emotional than others and practice the discipline of keeping said emotions in check. However, other than those in Special Forces I can’t imagine there isn’t something that will toss that control right out the window of the soul if pressed or targeted with the right/wrong trigger or alarm. Although I’ve met one or two people whose control issues bordered on sociopathic . . . never mind.

I’m going to take a large leap here into the writing world and see if I land on anything. Do right and wrong feelings hold a place in the biz? How ‘bout objectivity where subjectivity reigns? Some individuals write as a business. They pour themselves into it, and it is their passion. But somehow, either through their experience or because of their temperament, they have seized upon the mindset of maintaining it as a business. It’s their day job. And their night job. And their everything job. They make a living at it, and they know how the game is played. They do get occasional rejections on proposals, but they secure more acceptances. These particular authors study craft, style, genre, and have an established voice which varies little over the years. I would venture to say that “feelings” for the most part have very little to do with their practices and successes, but that’s not to say they don’t carry any emotion about their individual stories. I could name names here, but I don’t think I will.

As far as my own writing goes, I cannot be objective past saying I’m not the best writer in the world but neither am I the worst. I can say I do character development and dialogue pretty well, and those seem to be my strengths. I have an original voice, but who can predict who will like it and who won’t? Subjectively, I love the stories, and I’m invested in the characters, knowing some of them as unique and dynamic. I “feel” like my novels have something to offer particular readers. And I don’t think that’s wrong.

I know it’s not wrong to market one’s books, but I have yet to find the right tools which don’t “feel” wrong for me.

In the beginning of this post I was speaking of more important matters. But either way the spiritual side of discernment and decision making must always take the forefront. Without engaging the spiritual in every process of life, the carnal ways overcome what’s right and make it wrong . . . even when it feels right.

Lord God Almighty, I need to think, speak, and do what the Spirit directs. Help me to do just those things that are pleasing to you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.