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By Suzanne D. Williams

One of the hardest things a writer learns to deal with is the judgment of others. After all, we pour our heart out on the page, each word a symbol of the time and diligence we’ve dedicated to our craft.

Speaking personally, there isn’t a comment I haven’t heard about my work or myself as an author. I’ve had my stories torn apart and been called almost every name in the book. It’s particularly awful as a Christian writer because somehow I feel those opinions reflect on my faith and therefore, on God.

But there are a couple important keys to handling it, one I learned the hard way only a couple weeks ago. First, God has something to say about facing of the voices of other people. The very basic meaning of the word “grace” used throughout the Scripture is favor and success, so when we’re told, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work,” that completely covers it. (2 Cor 9:8)

But it doesn’t stop there. God was prepared for flack. Let’s read Luke 21:15. I particularly like the Amplified version. “For I [Myself] will give you a mouth and such utterance and wisdom that all of your foes combined will be unable to stand against or refute.” That’s pretty powerful!

Yet add Isaiah 54:17 to the mix – “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD,” and if you’re not jumping and leaping by now, you got up on the wrong side of the bed.

God’s got you covered! All the unjust voices, all the criticisms, the you-can’t-do-that’s, the opposition to the task, are the devil’s tools to dampen your enthusiasm for whatever it is God has for you to do. Satan doesn’t want you promoting the gospel and will use every trick in the book to prevent it.

Don’t let him! The Bible tells us Jesus’ work on the cross is far more powerful than anything we’ll ever have to face, and if we’ll walk by faith, leaning not to our own understanding, trusting God instead, we’ll come out the other side in better shape than we went in. (He 11:1;Pr 3:5-6;Ps 23:4)

I realize that’s not always the easiest thing to do, mentally. We tend to tear ourselves apart, wondering if maybe that person’s right. There is something to be said for learning from our mistakes. But the Bible says to stir yourself up. (2Ti 1:6) God put that in there because He knew our tendency to get down sometimes. He said, “Remember the power I gave you when I asked you to do this. Go in My strength and don’t be afraid.”

Never make God smaller than what He’s called you to do. He gave you the job, so He’ll supply you with the power to complete it. (2Ti 1:12) Therefore, next time those voices rise against you, you get that particularly bad review, or someone misunderstands your purpose on the page, do what my good friend does when she’s writing. She’ll come up against something that needs work, but rather than camp there, she’ll say HMO. That stands for “highlight and move on.”

I think that’s probably the best advice. After all, God will bring you to success in the end, so let Him deal with the negativity. He’s already said He would!

Suzanne Williams

Best-selling author, Suzanne D. Williams, is a native Floridian, wife, mother, and photographer. She is the author of both nonfiction and fiction books. She writes a monthly column for Steves-Digicams.com on the subject of digital photography, as well as devotionals and instructional articles for various blogs. She also does graphic design for self-publishing authors.

To learn more about what she’s doing visit http://suzanne-williams-photography.blogspot.com/ or link with her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/suzannedwilliamsauthor.

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EUR5BM6

Barnes & Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ichabod-penelope-suzanne-d-williams/1116792059

He rested his chin on the top of my head, his breath blowing through my hair. “Georgia’s a nice name,” he said. “But you’ll always be Penelope to me.”

***

Georgia Davis didn’t know the boy standing there, or why moments later when he asked to kiss her she said yes. Kiss a complete stranger? Who does that?

Yet the most amazing kiss she’s ever had then becomes a first date with an agreement to forget their real names. Really it makes no sense. Except somewhere deep inside, for one evening, it just has to be this way. He’s Ichabod, and she’s Penelope.

From best-selling author, SUZANNE D. WILLIAMS, a young adult romance about the healing power of love.