What’s Your Why?

Have you ever heard the phrase “My why”? It’s a way of saying why you do what you do. Personally, I think we should all have a “why” as a foundation for whatever we do. Really, the why is always there, whether we name it or not. But setting it out clearly before us is important. 

Having our why defined helps us stay focused. If we understand why we’re doing what we do, it can be easier to keep our eyes on the goal. It’s so easy to drift off course, to get distracted and discouraged. Having a why set before us won’t make the struggle disappear, but it will help keep us grounded and moving forward. 

For instance, why do you try to live righteously? To honor God? To set a good example for others? That’s the why behind your efforts. Does knowing this make it easy to live a righteous life? No. But knowing why you’re willing to face the struggle to live well will encourage you to keep doing it. 

This is what having a why does. When the struggles come up, your why reminds you why it’s worth it. It shows you the reason you should be willing to struggle, keep going, and not give up. 

Our why is more than just a goal; it’s the reason why that goal matters. It’s what drives us. Our why keeps us moving even when the goal seems out of reach. 

It’s so easy to get distracted by other things. The lure of success, the ease of quitting, the stress of trying. Our eyes shift, and we lose focus on what matters, chasing other things or getting discouraged. That’s when we need to remember our why. 

Our why is the reason we don’t quit, even when we feel like it. It’s what matters beyond worldly success and an easy life. When we recenter on our why, we’re encouraged to keep trying because we know the reason is worth the trial. 

Your why can be anything. And it’s not really hard to find. 

Finding your why can be simple. All it takes is some prayer and thought. Look at what you’re doing; think about what it means to you, what makes you want to do it. That’s your why. Your why can have more than one piece. 

For example, here’s my why behind writing.

The main reason is that God called me to write. I’ve always loved books. One of my earliest memories is taking all my books off the shelf and spreading them around the living room to play library. I was that weird kid who never complained about writing assignments in school. I was eight years old when I started writing and picked up the hobby in earnest when I was eleven. The signs were always there, but it wasn’t until I was fifteen that God actually called me to write. 

I was sitting at my computer, working on a story. I paused, leaned back from the screen, and prayed, “Should I even bother?” 

God’s answer wasn’t audible, but it was undeniable. Such a strong, indescribable feeling fell over me that could only mean, “Yes.” 

In that moment, God called me to write. At times, that calling was the only reason I didn’t give up. Thirteen years have passed since I received that calling, and it is the only reason I’ve kept writing all this time. It’s what will continue to keep me going. It’s my why. 

That’s my main why, but there are other parts to this. Remember, your why can have multiple facets. 

I write clean books with Christian themes like forgiveness and faith amid adversity. The books also have high stakes, lots of action, and exciting storylines. My books often feature hard topics like abuse and suicide. Why? 

Ever since I was a teenager, I wanted to write stories that matter. Stories that not only entertain, but leave the reader with more. I’ve always wanted to encourage readers. That’s just… something that’s ingrained into my writing. 

But when it comes to keeping it clean, I have another story to share. When I was a teen, there were very few clean books in my local libraries. It was incredibly difficult to find anything in the YA section that wasn’t full of foul language or sexual content. That is the fuel behind my commitment to clean stories. 

Of course, the main reason I keep my stories clean is to honor God, which is my main purpose in writing. But I also remember little teenage me, desperate for a book that didn’t compromise her values. I had to close so many books that I became desperate to read, and wound up overlooking multiple curses in a book just so I could read something. I don’t want anyone to have to go through that. Often, especially of late, I remember teenage me. Few authors cared to protect her. So now, I will join other authors who are protecting clean fiction. Because no one should have to compromise their values to read a book. 

As for the abuse and mental health representation in my books, my why is personal. I’ve gone through a lot in my life, and I want to reach others who are also struggling. So many don’t know their worth because the world tells them they’re worthless. So many think they’re hopeless because no one ever told them that healing and forgiveness are possible. There are so many people who suffer in silence and feel alone. I want to be a voice telling them they are seen and loved. I want to share the hope and healing I have found in Christ, and that it is available to all who will receive it. That’s why self-worth, suicide, and abuse are so common in my stories. 

Put all of that together, and you have my why. I aim to write God-honoring stories that are full of excitement and encouragement, and make the reader feel seen. Because God called me to do just that. Because those are the kind of books I always wanted and couldn’t find. Because I can’t keep my heart from bleeding for those going through the same things Christ has healed and is healing in me through his grace and love. 

That’s another thing the Lord has made clear about my writing. It’s all about love. 

Love for God, others, and craft. 

I write because I love God. He called me to write, and I honor him by obeying. 

I write because I love others and want to reach them with the truth and encouragement. 

I write because I love to write. It may sound weird, but not writing makes me feel off. I need to write. It’s in my Creator-given design. 

I guess you could say my why is wound up in one word: love. 

That’s my why. What’s yours? 

No matter what we do, whether it’s a form of God-given ministry or going to work, taking care of families, running a social media account… there is always a why. And knowing that why can help us so much. 

Say you’re a parent. Why do you do what you do? Why do you get up every morning, do the work, try to set a good example? 

Or maybe you’re a creative. Why do you create? What makes you want to do it? 

The driving force that keeps you going, the reason you don’t give up, the purpose behind the struggle, the very heart of what you do—that’s your why. 

May I encourage you to find your why? It may seem like a simple thing, but it helps keep things in perspective. It encourages us to keep going, keep trying. Because the reason why is too important to quit. 

Now, just to be clear, our why is not the same as the reason we live. The purpose of life is to know, love, and honor God, to make him known, and to be loved by him. No matter what our why is, this remains the same. Our why is much smaller, a force behind specific things in our lives, not our life itself. However, as Christians, our why often ties into this bigger picture in some way.

Again, our why is always there, but having something laid out clearly before us tends to bring things into better focus. Pray, write down your why, keep it in your heart. Because your why is your heart behind your passion. It’s your reason. It’s a part of you. 

Simple but effective. Usually easy to find, but impactful to truly figure out. 

So… What’s your why?