“Beware of anything that competes with loyalty to Jesus Christ. The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him…The one aim of the call of God is the satisfaction of God, not a call to do something for Him.” ~ Oswald Chambers

We may be writing good things for good reasons, yet feel a frenzy coming on. After all, we’ve got some competition out there, right? A gentle reminder to the faith-writer: We’re in the world, not *of* the world.

According to Gordon MacDonald, here are characteristics of stressed and driven people:

- Value accomplishments and results above everything else.
- Seek to acquire things that represent power and status.
- Strive for involvement in increasingly bigger and more visible endeavors.
- Demonstrate a highly competitive spirit.
- Try to impress people with our schedule and how busy we are.
- Spend little time pursuing relationships with our spouse, family, friends, and especially, with God.

(Gordon MacDonald, from Ordering Your Private World, pg.33-37)

Sometimes we become driven when we listen to our fears. We wrestle with the drive to achieve. “Living in a competitive world where achievement is almost everything, it would be easy to…be driven, to hold on, to protect, to dominate. And I might even find myself doing those sorts of things while telling myself that I was doing God’s work.” ~ Gordon MacDonald.

Ah, but this quote puts us on the right path:

“His power within us enables us to exchange our frenetic life of achievement, acquisition, and activity for a life centered on pleasing the Audience of One.” ~ Kevin & Kay Marie Brennfleck, authors of Live Your Calling

Friends, the antidote to every human tendency is to turn our hearts towards God. His love, grace, and truth will not only guide us, but banish all our fears. Our calling is not writing. Our calling is to know and follow Christ.