One day last month, I was working on a writing project and felt stuck. The kind of stuck that leads you down a rabbit hole to doubtful questions like, “What am I even doing?” “Why am I doing this?” “How can I possibly get this done?”

I wanted to hide under a blanket, but instead felt led to listen to a meditation through an online Christian yoga community that I’m a member of.

I popped in my airpods, fell back onto the couch, and closed my eyes to listen to Caroline Williams - the teacher for this particular meditation - read the words from Genesis 12:1-2.

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.”

As she read through this passage, she asked us to simply listen and notice what jumped out at us. At the end of the reading, my eyes snapped open and a soft “wow” slipped out of my lips. The words I heard from the Lord were unmistakable.

As clear as day, what I heard was – Go. I will show you. I will make your name great.

It’s a challenging world being a writer. If you want to publish a book, the fastest path is to have thousands upon thousands of followers on social media, as well as a mega email list. Seeing as how I have neither of those things just yet, it can be really easy for me to feel defeated and think, “Okay Lord, you’re leading me to write these words, but how can I publish them with so little?”

I imagine Abram asking a similar question when God told him that He would make him into a great nation. I’m old. My wife is barren. And you’re telling me you’re going to make me into a great nation? Really, Lord? HOW?

The instructions the Lord gives to Abram are simple.

He doesn’t say how.
He doesn’t say when.
He doesn’t give any particulars.
He simply says, “Go. I will show you.”

The Lord Brings the Fruit

In the way of the world, success is all about taking things into our own hands and clawing our way to the top. It’s DIY all the way, whatever the cost.

Success from a kingdom perspective is pretty much the complete opposite. It’s doing the work while recognizing that it’s all about the Lord and He is the one who brings the fruit. As John 15:5 says, “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

When we look at Abram’s story (he was called Abram before the Lord later changed his name to Abraham) we get to see a prime example of how the Lord brings the fruit; He is the one who fulfills the promise. But first, and what I really appreciate about his story, we get to see Abram try to make it happen on his own.

Here’s a quick snapshot of what happens:

God gives Abram super simple instructions and a promise that He will make his name great and bless him with many descendants.
Abram questions God, doubts God, and tries to take matters into his own hands – even so far as to impregnate his servant since his wife was barren.
Abram laughs when God tells him that his wife will indeed have a son at the age of ninety (Genesis 17:7 literally says, “Abraham fell facedown; he laughed…” and later in chapter 18 it says that Sarah laughed too.)

This story cracks me up because it’s so relatable, is it not?

Abram tries to DIY his way into the promise God has for him. But then the Lord does exactly what He says He will do in a miraculous way that only He could; He fulfills His promise through a 90-year-old infertile Sarai who bears a son.

All Abram had to do was listen to the Lord’s simple instruction to GO and trust that the Lord would show him and indeed fulfill His promise of making his name great. He could have skipped all of the tampering and all of the hustling attempts to make it happen in his own way. But even with the meddling, God still kept His promise.

Go. I will show you.

What the Lord has been showing me through this story is I put so much pressure on myself to try and have my writer life all figured out. The most optimal posting pattern on Instagram, the proper system for scheduling writing time, the perfect phrasing of my book proposal so I can land my dream agent. But with the Lord as the vine – as the head of my calling, and everything I do – I don’t have to have it all figured out.

Can you relate? Are you questioning next steps? Or putting pressure on yourself to have some aspect of your life or your work all figured out?

This simple mantra from Genesis 12 – “Go. I will show you. I will make your name great.” – prompted a much-needed shift in my writing. I went from trying to make it happen in my own way to following the Lord’s leading and leaving the growth up to Him.

And guess what – the fruit has been obvious!

Since I loosened my grip (which is a daily letting go, might I add), I have:

grown my following and gained momentum on social media
had a lot more fun planning content
received encouragement and affirmation about what I’m sharing
experienced more peace and joy

I get to do the work and worship Him through the words I write.
He brings the fruit.

A Simple Mantra for When You’re Questioning Next Steps

When you’re questioning your next step, or trying to have it all figured out, consider these three takeaways from Genesis 12.

Go – take a step in faith, even if you don’t know what follows
The Lord will show you – trust that the Lord goes before you and will lead you in the way you should go
The Lord will make your name great – the Lord loves you and wants you to live life to the fullest. Trust that, and know that He will bless you and He will bring the fruit

If you’re getting hung up on the last one, let me affirm you one last time by going back to the words of Genesis. Take note of one repetitive word – “I”.

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.”

I will show you.
I will make you into a great nation.
I will bless you.
I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.

Friend, it is all up to Him. We get to take the pressure off, be faithful to our Father and trust that He is true to His word because He is. Every. Single. Time.

Just like in Abram’s story, if the Lord is leading you towards something, and you follow Him faithfully (even if you try to take matters into your own hands), there is nothing that will keep Him from bringing the fruit.