On my Instagram account (@sarahbaylorwrites) I started a series sharing inspiration behind my writing, especially my current work in progress. I decided that on my blog, I would do this as well, but I would dive a little bit more deeper into the themes and the inspiration behind my current story.

When I started planning this book back in 2019, I knew the characters, the basic premise of the plot, and how I wanted it to end. But what I didn’t realize was that the lesson my characters would learn would seemingly take a page right out of my own life and the lessons the Lord was teaching me. 

Almost a year ago, I walked through a season where I started caring more about what other people thought about me rather than who the Lord says I am. I began to place my identity in a particular friendship. My thought patterns began to center around this person on a day to day basis, especially since I saw this person quite often during the week. While this friendship wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, I was giving it too much time of day.

That’s when the Lord spoke to me in the hallways of the building I used to work in. I felt Him tugging on my heart, reminding me that when I place my identity in other things that are not Him, my whole foundation will begin to crumble. 

And crumble it did.

After the moment in the hallway, the Lord kept telling me to stop initiating conversation with this friend, but I knew what would happen. I knew that if I stopped talking and initiating the friendship, I wouldn’t hear from this person again. But I was tired of placing my identity in a friendship where I felt like it was only a one-way street. I wanted to focus solely on the Lord and seek Him. 

So, one day, I decided to do it. I stopped initiating the conversation in the friendship, and sure enough, I rarely heard from this person, despite being in the same location for most of the week. Frankly, it hurt, but it opened my eyes to so much about the friendship, even lessons that I’m still realizing now.

That’s when it hit me.

I knew about most everything that would happen in the book I was writing. At this point last year, I was deep in the trenches of writing my first draft. Like I said, I knew the characters, I knew the plot line, I knew the ending. But I still had no clue about the character development my main character would go through or the lesson she would learn.

Without giving too much away, all throughout my book, my main character is placing her identity in something that will inevitably fail her. She realizes this the hard way, but at the end of book she comes to understand where her identity truly comes from.

Going back to my own personal situation, after about two months of no contact from my end, this friend reached back out to me, and let me tell you I was elated. However, I knew that I needed to set some boundaries within myself to make sure that I didn’t get to a point where I was prioritizing this friendship above my relationship with the Lord. 

Oftentimes what we place our identity in is what we desire or long for the most. However, every time we place our identity in something worldly, it will fail us, no matter how good it seems. So I want to ask you, what is ruling your thought patterns right now? What are you placing your identity in?

Friend, if I could encourage you in any way, I want to remind you of the words from Paul in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Focus on the Lord and seek Him in everything you do. I know it’s one thing I have to fight for daily.