Blogging: A Spiritual Discipline

By Jeremy Myers

Spiritual disciplines of blogging I sometimes think blogging should be added to the list of spiritual disciplines.

If you blog, you know what I mean.

Here are some of the things that God grows in you through the blogging experience:

Humility of Blogging

When you first start, blogging is an exercise in humility. You think that you will instantly get thousands of readers and hundreds of comments. But you write for months, and nobody but your wife reads it.

Perseverance in Blogging

As the months go by, it becomes an exercise in perseverance. It becomes a discipline to write, even if nobody is reading.

Healing through Blogging

Somewhere along the way, if you can work through the feelings of rejection and bitterness that nobody is reading, you realize that your writing is cathartic. It touches some of the painful and dark places in your life, and through the exercise of getting it out on “paper” these painful places in your life begin to heal.

Learning through Blogging

After you blog for a couple of years, you realize that one of the reasons you blog is because you learn by writing. Writing is not something you do to show off how much you know, but in order to investigate and explore certain ideas and interact with others about these ideas.

Then, after you get a few readers, some of them start to criticize you, and you are right back where you started, trying to learn humility through blogging.

spiritual discipline of blogging

Peter Enns wrote a fantastic post recently about some of this. He wrote about how Jesus wants him to blog more. Here is how he begins:

In the fifty-second year, in the third month on the third day, as I was checking my Google Analytics, I looked, and behold, I saw a light brighter than the noonday sun, and the voice of one like the Son of Man spoke to me from within.

“I see you have a blog.”

“Yes, Lord, you know that I do.”

“How’s the traffic?”

“Good, Lord–though, without you, which of us would get but a handful of pageviews.”

“Stop that. I have a job for you. I want you to blog more.”

“Oh Lord–you who rule the internet with wisdom and justice–who am I that you should be mindful of the humble state of your servant? Yet, if it is your will, Oh Lord, that many more will hear, let it be done.”

“I told you to stop that. Now listen. I want you to blog more–for you.”

“…not sure I follow….”

“Frankly, I hate the internet, but you seem to like it. So, I want you to blog as much as possible because blogging gives you all sorts of opportunities to practice.”

“Practice what? Formulating my thoughts in under 800 words? Coming up with catchy titles? Learning the craft of writing?”

“No, not remotely. Blogging gives you chances to practice what I mean when I say ‘follow me.’”

You will have to go read the rest of the post to see what Jesus says about why Peter should blog more, but I think that Peter is on to something.

Do you want to start a Blog?

If you want to start a blog, here is a video I created about how to set up a blog in 5 minutes.

I mention it in the video, but if you want to start blogging through HostGator, make sure you use this coupon to get a 25% off discount: blogin5minutes

Do you have a Blog?

If you are a blogger or have a blog, feel free to mention your blog in the comments below, and also share some of what you have learned about yourself and about following Jesus through the spiritual discipline of blogging.

In Blogging, Discipleship

http://www.mhmcintyre.us/ Mark McIntyre

Yes, it is an exercise in humility. Yet, one thing to keep in mind is that those who will take the time or feel inclined to comment are in the minority of readers. But when the words of encouragement come, they tend to make blogging worth the effort.

And since you asked, my blog is called Attempts at Honesty and can be found at http://www.mhmcintyre.us
- http://www.tillhecomes.org/ Jeremy Myers
  
  Mark,
  
  Thanks! Yes, I subscribe to your blog and love what you write. I do not comment because I pretty much only read blogs Google Reader when I am on the go, and cannot often get over to blog posts to comment. Wish I could comment more, though as I do know how much comments mean to blog writers…..
Billy Turner

I’ve been writing a blog, after 34 years as a journalist before I became a pastor, for more than three years, and I find it to be my discipline. If I don’t, I feel I’ve lost something of myself. It’s hard to be a former anything… The blog is That’s Life at http://www.billyssaints.blogspot.com if anyone be interested.
- http://www.tillhecomes.org/ Jeremy Myers
  
  Thanks, Billy. I am glad you are blogging! Your journalistic experience will serve you well in blogging. I wish I had more of that experience. Many bloggers seem to think that titles, opening lines, headings, and paragraph breaks don’t really matter, but they do, just as if you were writing a magazine or newspaper article.
Sam

Per Steve Zousmer (journalist, writer, and writing insturctor at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism), writing is “a thinking process” that “drives you to create and develop ideas in a way that probably would not happen if you just sat in a chair and thought.” Further, “writing makes you smarter and more creative” and “harnesses the power of concentration and engages a miraculous mental process that leads you to discoveries.” (From his book “You Don’t Have To Be Famous”, p. 38)

That may be why we write. Blogs can serve as critique groups that primarily critique what we say, more than serving as copy editors.
- http://www.tillhecomes.org/ Jeremy Myers
  
  Yeah, I love Steve Zousmer’s books on writing, though I have not read the one you referenced. I do agree with the quotes you reference, though.
  
  In some ways, blogs are also helping the world gain a worldwide perspective and form a collective consciousness of sorts.
http://www.beingfilled.com/ Chuck McKnight

Perseverance can be a tricky one for me. When I started blogging, I was pretty close to getting a post up every weekday. But recently, it’s been getting harder and harder to find time to write.

Fighting pride is another big one, especially when a big-shot like Jeremy Myers does a post featuring your blog.

For those interested, you’ll find me over at http://www.beingfilled.com/ where I just today posted my weirdest article ever.
- Mark
  
  Chuck,
  
  You’re right this is one of the weirdest posts I’ve ever read. The thought of families becoming cannibals among themselves in the bible is portrayed as it should be—as a wretched and terrible thing, the end result of a sin filled life. God’s provision for His people when in need of food was never each other.
  - http://www.beingfilled.com/ Chuck McKnight
    
    If you’re commenting on my post, could you add it there? I’d rather not take up space with a response on Jeremy’s post. Thanks!
    - http://www.tillhecomes.org/ Jeremy Myers
      
      Chuck,
      
      Thanks for the clarifying comment! I read Mark’s comment and thought, “What? Did my post get hacked?” Ha.
      
      I have been behind in my blog reading (and writing) the past several weeks, but will head on over to read your post, as I always love what you say.
http://www.transitionministriesgroup.com/ Bud Brown

I’ve learned through blogging that there are colleagues in ministry who have valuable experience and insight which has profited my ministry. I have learned that others have benefited from my blogging and have thanked me for it.

In this regard I think that blogging in a ministry context is connected in some way with various spiritual gifts. Some are gifted teachers, others are prophetic and others excel at comfort and encouragement. By reading a variety of blogs and listening to learn rather than to speak, I am greatly blessed by how the Body of Christ ministers in this fashion.
- http://www.tillhecomes.org/ Jeremy Myers
  
  Bud,
  
  This is a great thought. I agree that in some ways, blogging is connected to ministry, and people with teaching gifts can use blogging to teach others (and learn from others). It truly is a blessing.
WARD KELLY

Love the humor in your trials at blogging Jeremy. I don’t blog, though I’ve thought about it. I run my own business which monopolizes my time and if I were to start a blog I’d probably feel compelled to rush something out just to keep up the post count. If I were to blog I would want it to be quality for the Lord, not quantity. I started cutting my teeth in internet persuasion, argumentation, confrontation leading to introspection by populating certain political forums. If you ever want to meet the most rigid closed minded people, just go to a political forum! For now, I enjoy reading and commenting on others blogs. Glad you persevered Jeremy.
- http://www.tillhecomes.org/ Jeremy Myers
  
  Thanks, Ward.
  
  I have taken on too much and am trying to figure out where to cut back. So I think you are wise in making sure you set your priorities with your business, and only taking it on if you have the time to do it right. Glad you are reading and commenting!
http://wordshalfheard.blogspot.com/ Carol Kuniholm

Thanks for putting this in words. I agree that blogging can be a significant spiritual discipline. I started blogging after leaving youth ministry. I’d had the discipline of putting ideas talks teens could hear and understand, and organizing my study into Bible studies that others could take and lead, and was worried that without some regular deadline and imposed format, my mind would just wander. Which it still does, but with some imposed structure.
Lately, I’ve been seeing a deeper discipline in blogging: the call to live transparently. It’s way too easy to keep our lives private, our thoughts private, repeat the accepted wisdom of whatever group we’re with. It’s challenging – and a little risky – to say “this is who I am, and this is what I believe, and this is how I’m trying to live it out.”
- http://www.tillhecomes.org/ Jeremy Myers
  
  Carol,
  
  Absolutely! I find that getting my thoughts down on paper (or on a blog) gives me more courage to speak up and say what I believe (with love and grace) when in conversations with other people. It is way to easy to live our lives privately, and blogging is one way to practice living in community with others.
http://mickholt.com/ mickholt

I have been writing for years – the blog has only been around for a few years and only active, really active for a few months. I get scared that what I have to say, good/bad, agree/disagree, will not honor God.

That serves to keep me humble, well, that and the fact that I get less than 10 visits most days and only have 12 comments to show for my limited efforts – but, and this is where #2 comes in, I have decided to persevere. It may not be a spiritual gift but God has blessed me with the ability to put words on “paper” and I feel that to not write dishonors God and wastes one of the talents he gave me.

The cathartic aspect of writing is all too real for me too. I have RUN from it – writing – in every form for years for fear of being reminded that it is central to all I do for Christ. Only when I write do I feel that I am doing what I am “called” to do – and I use that term loosely.
http://profile.yahoo.com/ETZOGUPRWIUEKG44R33GGK3KKE Kathleen

Love the review here and how blogging is related to a discipline–agree!