What you do matters

Finding courage for moments of despondency

This month, I was tempted to give up writing.

I wanted to quietly stop, because it didn’t matter. I was wearing my teacher hat more than my writer hat anyway…I was struggling to write in the in-between moments…I couldn’t think of anything meaningful to say…and none of it mattered.

Funnily enough, I started to feel this particular discouragement after beginning work on a book. The ideas had been percolating in my mind for a few weeks. I wanted to write about becoming brave. I wanted to share reflections on courage illustrated by stories from my experience in Korea.

I was excited to start. Then I sat down to write my first chapter…and I immediately felt like this whole book concept was rubbish. I stared out of numerous café windows, wondering why my thoughts were so hard to put onto paper and why they came out so clumsily.

(Typically, my best writing spots are in cafes. More on Korean café culture at the end of this reflection.)

How could I write a book? In fact, how could I offer anything valuable at all? It wouldn’t matter if I just…stopped. All of it. The book. This monthly reflection letter. Articles for other outlets. My social media. It wouldn’t matter if I went silent.

Perhaps you’re familiar with this feeling.

Discouragement and doubt creep in about your mission, your project, your sense of calling, even your ordinary day-to-day – perhaps because it’s harder than you anticipated, or you’re not seeing the results you wanted, or someone else seems to be doing “it” better than you, or for no particular reason other than the discouragement is suddenly there.

How do we become brave in those moments?

We have to believe something bigger than our own feelings.

“Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

That is the promise, regardless of our feelings: what we do matters. Our efforts are not pointless or futile. They will bear fruit.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

“You are the light of the world…let your light shine before others…” (Matthew 5:14, 16)

As a Christian, I believe there is an Enemy trying to snuff out the light and goodness in the world, and I have to choose whether I align myself with him or with God.

There are moments when I feel like darkness might just be overpowering the light, yet I am reminded that in the end, darkness cannot overcome the light. I can choose to align myself with the Light no matter my feelings.

What voice do I choose to listen to in the end? Do I listen to the voice of doubt and fear that what I do “doesn’t matter?” Or do I listen to the promise of One who has more redemptive creativity, power, and insight than I do? Do I let my light shine?

Ironically, it’s taking courage for me to keep writing about courage, but I choose to believe that my words and my work matter in some way.

I don’t know where you need courage right now, but I invite you to keep believing that what you do matters. It does matter, my friend. You are a light in the world.

May you become brave enough to continue on by trusting the Word of the One who sees, and knows, and loves.

Until next time,

Lynette

P.S. If there’s a particular area of your life where you need some encouragement and fresh faith, feel free to let me know. I’d love to pray for you.

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KOREAN CAFE CULTURE

I love café hopping in Korea. There’s something about the aesthetics and atmosphere that calms me and switches on my creative brain.

Did you know that Korea has more than 100,000 coffee shops? That’s nearly double the number of all the big convenience store chains here combined.

Coffee was introduced to Korea in the late 19^th century, when King Gojang first tried it at the Russian Embassy after taking refuge there from the Japanese. King Gojang later opened a café for foreign diplomats at Deoksugung Palace.

Today you can find themed cafés, animal cafés, game cafés, art cafés – almost anything to meet your needs and interests. They are popular “third spaces” for socializing and even working.

It’s common to stay quite a while if you buy drinks – although businesses are pushing back at the minority of customers taking advantage and staying too long.

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Thank you for taking time to read! I hope something in this reflection inspired you.