46 | The Surprising Fear That Blocked My Breakthrough as a Christian Author

Have you ever wondered why, despite your hard work and prayers, breakthrough in your writing life still feels out of reach?

At one time, I for sure did! For years, I wrestled with comparison, discouragement, and striving—never realizing that one surprising fear was quietly blocking my breakthrough as a Christian author. Maybe you’ve felt it too: the joy slipping away, the endless need to measure up, the constant second-guessing of your calling.

In this episode, I pull back the curtain on what God revealed to me and how He began setting me free. If you’ve been longing for clarity, peace, and true breakthrough in your writing career, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

👉 Listen now to uncover the secret to becoming an anointed scribe!

Transcript

Something was secretly holding me back in my writing life and I didn't even see it.

You know, for a long time, I couldn't figure out why I felt stuck in my writing life.

I was publishing books, showing up online, doing all the right things, but deep down,

I wasn't experiencing the freedom, joy and breakthrough I desperately longed for.

And when God revealed what was at the core of most traps that have threatened my calling and identity as a Kingdom writer, I'll be honest, it surprised me.

In fact, I discovered that it's what lies at the heart of comparison.

Depression, disappointment, feeling less than insecurity, doubt, giving up. And the list goes on and on.

And I have a feeling it might be the very same thing holding you back too, friend.

So today we are peeling back the layers so you can step into the victory and freedom God has called you to as a Christian author.

Because as I've discovered in my own writing journey, at the very root of all of these seemingly different struggles lies one thing.

Our desperate need for human approval.

This is episode 46 of the Anointed Scribe Podcast.

Let's get into it.

I'm Urcelia Teixeira, ex real estate agent turned award winning Christian fiction author.

When I wrote my first novel on a bucket list whim, I had no idea it would spark a spiritual journey that would redefine my calling.

But you know what, friend? Self publishing wasn't easy. I got caught in the hustle, chasing rankings and sales while desperately trying to stay rooted in Christ.

Now, by God's grace, I'm building my author business his way. And now he's called me to help you do the same.

Welcome to the Anointed Scribe Podcast, where faith meets business for Christian writers. Let's write, publish, and grow our author business God's way.

Are you ready? Well then, let's get started.

Hey, it's your author friend, Urcelia. And welcome to the Anointed Scribe Podcast.

If you're new here and in quotes, happened to stumble upon this episode, I want you to know that this was no coincidence or fluke, friend.

This was a God-incidence!

You are meant to be here right now.

So clear your heart and mind and lean into what I believe God wants you to hear today.

And if you're a regular listener, it's always awesome to have you hanging out with me. So thank you for choosing to spend your time with me. I'm truly humbled to be walking this journey with you, friend. As we dig into today's topic,

I pray you will hear God's voice. In what I'm sharing with you today so that you can make the changes you need to make in your author life to start thriving in your purpose.

You know my mission with this podcast is to help you find breakthrough in your career as a writer, to become the Kingdom author God has called you to be.

Because just being a Christian writer isn't enough.

We are called to be messengers of the Gospel. But as I've discovered in my own journey as a Christian figure fiction author, the path is riddled with thorns and spiritual challenges that threaten to derail you from what God called you to do for him.

And that's where God has called me to share the Holy Spirit led insights and teachings from my own journey that took me from burnout and almost giving up to rediscovering joy and breakthrough in my writing life.

And today's topic is one that was and remains one of the most challenging lessons I have learned.

So I pray you will be blessed and changed by it, as I was.

And let me say that it's taken me years to finally realize what was at the heart of most of my struggles as a Christian writer.

And I'm so relieved that the process of complete healing from it is well underway. And yes, it is a process.

This isn't something that disappears overnight as soon as you've diagnosed it.

But once you recognize it for what it is, you can start working through it with God peeling back one layer at a time until he fully heals and sets you free.

So what am I talking about? Well friend,

I'm talking about the desire to seek the approval of man over seeking God's approval.

And here's the thing, it's not always obvious.

You might have immediately had a knee jerk reaction the second I mentioned it. Immediately denying in your heart that you have this issue.

But the fact that you are here,

that you clicked on this episode, the fact that you are stuck and striving in your author business instead of flowing in freedom and victory.

That's evidence enough that you might actually have a deep seated desire to seek human approval.

So don't tune out just yet, friend. Stick with me. Because I promise you it will all start to make sense very soon.

You see, the enemy is crafty.

He often disguises this issue as other things.

Things like comparison with successful authors, doubting whether God truly called you to write,

seeking security in how many sales you are making, obsessing over how many likes you are getting on social media posts,

constantly checking your Amazon rankings,

fighting hard to come up with a social media post that will finally get you noticed.

The list could go on for days.

But I'm here to tell you friend, that these are surface level symptoms and that the Word of God challenges us to look deeper than surface symptoms.

Because here's what I've come to discover in my own desperate search for freedom and breakthrough in this area.

We all want to feel valued and appreciated. That's how God designed us.

We are created for community,

for connection, for encouragement.

But somewhere along the way, many of us crossed an invisible line from healthy affirmation into an exhausting approval trap that steals our joy and paralyzes our calling.

As someone who shares God's word through my writing, I had no idea that being an author meant walking into this potential trap every single day.

Every time we hit publish,

every time we share our work,

every time we put ourselves out there, we are opening ourselves up to the opinions of others.

And if we're not grounded in whose approval truly matters,

we can find ourselves on a roller coaster that never stops.

Let me share something vulnerable with you. There was a season where I would wake up in the morning and the first thing I do before prayer, before coffee, before even saying good morning to my husband or my family,

was I check my phone. Not for messages from loved ones,

but to see if anyone had engaged with my content overnight. Had anyone left a review?

Did my latest post get any hearts or comments? How many people subscribed to my email list?

I was living my life at the mercy of other people's responses to my work and friends. Let me tell you, that is no way to live as a child of the King.

And I know you can relate with what I'm saying here. I know you've done the same because you are human.

The Apostle Paul understood this struggle intimately too.

In Galatians 1:10, he wrote these convicting words. He says,

am I now trying to win the approval of human beings or of God,

or am I trying to please people? If I was still trying to please people,

I would not be a servant of Christ.

See, Paul had to make a choice and so do we.

We cannot serve two masters. We cannot live for God's approval while simultaneously being enslaved by to human opinion.

When I get sucked into the approval trap, my brain transforms into a tornado of anxious questions. Questions like, did I get more subscribers this week than last week?

Did my readers actually enjoy my latest book or were they just being nice?

Sure, you gave me a five star review, but what did you really mean when you said that? One thing we watch our reviews and rankings like hawks because it's what they say proves whether we are successful and liked or not.

Our hearts ache with envy when we get a mediocre review and another author gets one that drips in praise and applause.

Reader reviews have become our yardstick for success and our worth.

See, as I sat with God on this, I came to recognize that words of affirmation is one of the primary ways I receive love. And there's nothing wrong with that.

God often uses others to encourage us.

But there's a razor thin line between healthy affirmation and an unhealthy approval addiction. Right?

Because the truth is that our God given need for encouragement can morph into an obsession with others opinions when we begin looking to people for what only God can provide.

So how do we know if we've crossed that line? Because I didn't know it. I didn't know it at all.

How can we determine if we are stuck in the approval trap Let me share some diagnostic questions I had to ask myself that helped me recognize this pattern in my own life.

Firstly, do you frequently check for likes, comments or social media engagement? And I mean frequently, multiple times a day. Feeling anxious when the numbers are lower than expected?

Getting a dopamine hit when they are higher?

Second question do you obsessively check how many reviews you have,

perhaps even comparing your numbers to other authors reviews and feeling deflated when someone else has more?

Third. Is your sense of self worth directly tied to sales numbers or career success?

Do good sales days make you feel valuable while slow periods make you question your calling?

Fourth. Does someone's disapproval, whether it's a negative review,

a critical comment, your editor's feedback, or even perceived indifference,

trigger anxiety, depression or a spiral of self doubt?

Fifth. Do you find yourself constantly adjusting your message,

your content, or even your personality based on what you think others want to hear or will like?

And the sixth and final one.

Do you study what other authors are doing,

using their best sellers to shape your own books and content instead of asking God what He needs you to do instead?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, friend, you are seeking the approval of man to measure your success and worth by and you know what?

You're not alone in this. I used to do it too.

In fact,

Studies show that 49% of adults struggle with people pleasing tendencies. And I believe that number is even higher among creative professionals and ministry leaders.

So we're going to go deeper into this now. Yes, even though it hurts and you might feel a little bit bruised or offended right now,

but if you want true biblical success and freedom. In your writing and in your author business, we have to allow the Holy Spirit to break in and break down what's keeping us from breakthrough.

So let's look at the sobering warning from Proverbs 29:25 that says fear of man will prove to be a snare.

Did you catch that? The word snare is another word for trap.

The very thing we think will help us succeed.

Gaining human approval becomes the thing that ensnares and imprisons us.

Let me paint a picture of what life looks like when we are caught in this snare.

When we are approval seeking, we become reactive instead of responsive.

We make decisions based on what others might think rather than what God is leading us to do.

We second guess our calling, water down our message, and exhaust ourselves trying to be everything to everyone.

I've watched talented writers abandon projects that God gave them because someone made a discouraging comment.

I've seen authors completely change their voice and message because they were afraid of losing followers.

I've witnessed creative people burn out from the constant pressure of of performing for human applause.

And here's the irony.

When we are desperately seeking approval, we often repel the very people we are trying to please.

See, desperation has a scent, and people can smell it from a mile away.

But when we are secure in God's love and approval,

when we write and create from that place of rest,

knowing who we are and what we have been called to do for Christ,

we naturally attract the right audience.

People who resonate with our authentic voice and message will come to us.

And friend,

I know breaking free from the approval trap isn't easy, and here's why.

If we are looking to the approval of others,

whether consciously or subconsciously,

we are attempting to fill a hole inside ourselves that only God can satisfy.

Think about it this Every human heart has what I call an approval tank.

This tank was designed to be filled by our Creator,

by his unconditional love, his delight in us, his pleasure over us as his children.

But when that tank isn't properly filled by God,

we start looking elsewhere.

We become approval vampires, sucking validation from anyone and everyone around us, but never feeling truly satisfied.

The problem is that human approval is fickle.

One day someone loves your work, the next day they have moved on to someone else.

One reader thinks you're amazing, another thinks you are terrible.

If our sense of worth is tied to these shifting opinions,

we will live on an emotional rollercoaster that never stops. Friend.

But here's the beautiful truth that can set us free.

God's approval isn't based on our performance.

It's not tied to our sales numbers, our review counts, or our social media engagement. His love for us is unconditional, unwavering and un changing. In Romans 8:15-16, Paul reminds us, the spirit you received does not make you slaves so that you live in fear again.

Rather, the spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship and by him we cry abba. Father,

the Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

Did you catch that?

We are not slaves living in fear.

Fear of rejection, fear of criticism, fear of not measuring up,

fear of not being noticed. We are beloved children of the Most High God.

See, when we truly understand our identity, everything changes.

Imagine for a moment what your writing life would look like if you were completely free from the need for human approval.

Picture yourself writing with boldness, sharing your message without fear,

creating from a place of joy rather than anxiety.

Envision yourself being able to receive constructive feedback without it crushing you and being able to dismiss unfair criticism without losing sleep.

This isn't just a pipe dream. This is the freedom that God wants for every one of his children.

This is the abundant life that Jesus promised us when we are no longer enslaved to others opinions we can write what God puts on our hearts. We can take risks, be vulnerable, share hard truths, be confident and trust that God will connect our words with the people who need to hear them most.

We can rest in the knowledge that our worth isn't determined by our latest Amazon ranking or our most recent review.

Now, I want to be clear about something.

Recognizing that you struggle with approval seeking is just the first step.

It's the diagnosis, not the cure.

The healing process, the actual breaking free that takes time, intentionality and a lot of grace with yourself.

This isn't about never caring what anyone thinks ever again either.

We are not called to be completely indifferent to others.

Healthy feedback and encouragement are gifts from God.

But the goal is to reach a place where others opinions inform us but don't control us.

Where we can receive praise without it inflating our ego and criticism without it deflating our soul.

Maybe you're just now realizing how much human approval has been driving your decisions, your emotions, your sense of worth.

And I know that recognition can feel overwhelming. But I want you to know it's also the beginning of your freedom.

So as we close today's episode, I want to pray for anyone who's recognized themselves in this message. Would you just pray with me for a second?

Father, thank you for loving us unconditionally.

Thank you that your approval of us isn't based on our performance,

our productivity,

or other people's opinions of us.

We confess that we've often looked to human beings for the validation that only you can provide.

Forgive us for making idols out of other people's opinions.

Help us to remember daily that we are your beloved children,

chosen, adopted, anointed, and delighted in.

When we attempted to check our worth by external metrics, remind us to check in with you instead.

Give us the courage to write what you've put on our hearts and even when it's risky, even when others might not understand it,

Set us free from the exhausting trap of approval seeking and help us to find our rest,

our identity, and our validation in you alone. In Jesus name, Amen.

Friend, if this episode has resonated with you, I encourage you to sit with these truths,

go back and listen to it again.

Don't try to fix everything overnight. Pray about it.

Start paying attention to your patterns.

Notice when you are seeking approval and gently redirect your heart back to the only one whose opinion truly matters.

Your calling as a Christian author is too important to be held hostage by human opinion.

I'm grateful that you joined me today friend, and I'm excited for what God is doing in your author life. And if this episode blessed you, please consider sharing it.

God has given you a unique voice,

a specific message, and a particular audience to reach. Don't let the fear of man keep you from fulfilling that calling.

You are anointed and appointed. Your words matter,

your voice matters, and most importantly, you matter to God.

Friend, before I let you go, I want you to use the Send me a message link in the show notes and let me know where you need God to show up for you today so I can pray for you.

It's 100% anonymous. I can't see your name or your email or your phone number. I can't even reply to you. But I can read your request and I can pray for you.

So I encourage you to use this feature to send me a private message to let me know what you are struggling with right now so we can come together and take this to the Lord in prayer.

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Okay, so that's it for today's show.

Thank you for listening. And remember, for such a time as this,

you have been called to thrive as God's anointed scribe.