This is an updated post from 2019. I’ve updated it quite a bit, and thought it might be helpful to share again. Obviously, not everyone will have these problems, but I wanted to target common problems I’ve had personally and/or seen other bloggers discuss that they’ve experienced.
Updated June 4th, 2021
Today, I wanted to talk about some things you will more than likely experience, as a Christian blogger. Let’s get right into it!
Low Stats/Competition
When I first started my blog in 2016, I was totally focused on numbers. I remember telling myself, “Remember when you have 10 views, and that’s a good day for you. Remember when you have 12 followers, and that’s an accomplishment. Remember and be thankful when you only had one comment.”
Of course, then I wondered if my numbers would ever grow. It was something I had to give to God. I knew I had to let go of the idol of numbers because when the numbers grew I wanted to point back to Him, not myself. I’ve been blogging for almost 5 years now, and honestly, it’s not about how many people are reached, but the people who are ministered to. What matters the most is the truth of Jesus Christ.
If only one person receives the truth of Christ, that matters. Comments, follows, likes, engagement, it does not matter. Sometimes, the people we help we will never know, and it’s okay. Do not use numbers to affirm. We can have highs and lows, but our constant should be Jesus Christ.
I see bloggers who have thousands, ten thousands or more of followers and they STILL struggle with numbers. It does not matter how far you get, if you are struggling with your numbers. It is always going to be about the next milestone, wondering why people aren’t commenting as much, or x, y, and z. Be aware now!
Be thankful for every comment and every blogger. Do not try to assume why people do not follow or comment like before. Do not become envious of others! Recognize when you make numbers an idol, or use numbers to affirm yourself. Christian blogger, your identify is in Jesus Christ, not numbers! Repent, if you have sinned.
Scriptures To Remember When You Struggle
(NLT) 1 John 5:21, “Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.” (ESV and many other versions simply say “Dear children, keep yourselves away from idols.” But I love the connection to the heart, as the heart is our storehouse, and if we have an idol, it, absolutely, is in the heart. Luke 6:45)
(ESV) Jonah 2:08, “Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.” (Jesus is our Hope and He shows us the love of God.. Romans 5:08)
Letting Numbers Validate Your Writing
It is very common to believe that numbers determine whether or not something is well written or if it was “good.”
After I had grown to a bigger following, I would occasionally reshare my older posts because few people had seen them in the beginning. When I did, people responded to these posts. It was not because the post was originally bad, it was simply because growing a community takes time. And there is nothing wrong with editing. Sometimes growing with fewer numbers is a blessing, it allows time to grow. This includes changes in our writing and theology. Less retractions and clarification are needed. For those who receive a following quickly, these changes can be difficult to deal with. We can be tempted to keep pleasing our growing audience because the truth might turn them away.
Sometimes quality of writing has nothing to do with our following (though important). Sometimes it is simply because we haven’t found our community yet. It’s easy for us to want to feel validated by everyone else, except God, and here, we again, have the issue of idol worship. Self.
Be patient. Write for the joy of the Lord. Pray that we speak the truth of His word and not twist it.
FOCUS ON CHRIST! The people God wants to be touched by our posts will be!
Scripture To Remember When You Struggle
(ESV) Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Worried About Post Topic
As a Christian blogger, it is very possible, at some point, you may cover a topic that will be hard for others to read. First off, it is important you pray before writing the topic.
Make sure you are not writing a topic out of frustration or in a passionate state, this can cloud you. It’s okay to be angry about something that goes against our Lord and Savior, but it is also really easy to switch from our focus on Christ, to focus on our own feelings. Be careful and accountable. I’m not innocent in this, either.
If writing harshly, consider why. Is it really needed? What are you trying to illustrate (as when God or others in the Bible spoke harshly they often were illustrating a point to be made). See this video: Can Christians Be Sarcastic?
If we claim to be a Christian blogger, Christ needs to be presented correctly. We are representatives of Jesus. Leave the, “I don’t care what anyone else thinks, this is my blog,” out of it. Truthfully, everything we have is not our own, but the Lord’s. Do everything unto Him. Be accountable and be a good steward with what you have been given, including your blog. This is His, too.
(ESV) Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Know the HOWS & WHYS of the topics you want to cover. There have been some topics I’ve wanted to write on, but I had to wait. I didn’t know enough scripture explaining the topic or the amount of research the topic required. You may have to wait and be willing to be patient before you have everything you need, in order to write a proper post.
Talk with trusted counsel on topics. Get viewpoints. Hear their perspective. Hear the opposing perspective, for insight.
Make sure to edit, edit, edit. Read your post out loud to yourself. Cut out needless babble, tangents, or unneeded repetition. Pray and seek God’s hand in guiding what you are saying. Seek scripture for references. Ask for Him to prick your spirit, if you need to change or clarify anything. Reflect on scripture for conviction from the Spirit, as well.
Is your post emotional or focused on scripture? If it is scripturally sound, are you gentle with your approach or are you throwing fire and pointing fingers (is it needed, are you making yourself a hypocrite with your words)? Sometimes we do need to be more aggressive, but this is something to prayfully consider. A blog post receives a variety of readers, and some readers will be weaker. They will need encouragement. Make sure you have a balance to your approach. (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
If you can, once the post is written but not published, have others hear it.
Pray before you publish.
Pray after you publish.
Pray for God to help you respond.
You can never pray too much, it’s a reminder I, myself, need.
Scripture To Remember When You Struggle
(ESV) Proverbs 16:24, “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”
Challenging/Uncomfortable/Opposing Comments
This leads us to the next part.
Nearly everyone at some point has these kinds of comments. It is CRUCIAL you understand what kind of comment you are receiving. Comments that are challenging and opposing do not mean that someone is trying to purposely hurt you. In fact, God may very well use them to open your eyes to something. In many cases, I’ve been shown how I was not clear in particular posts, and I needed to write another post for clarification or edit.
I would recommend, and I’m still working on this, to not respond immediately to a comment that riles you. We may read something strongly, but that may not be the intention of the commenter. Step away, look at what the overall comment is saying. Is there any truth you can agree with or at least see where the person is coming from? Agreement is a good place to balance a response. In the same way we want to be heard, our commenters desire to feel heard. Before breaking down disagreements, try to begin on a more steady ground.
If you can’t respond because you are upset, don’t respond. You might have to trash the comment, but don’t do it simply because you disagree. Choosing to approve every comment allows you the time you need to respond, without anyone else seeing the comment. (It’s good protection.)
I’ve noticed some people really struggle with comment moderation and will comment again in frustration. It usually happens in less than 24 hrs from the original comment, and the commenter is rude and makes assumptions or slanderous remarks. Should commenters do this, it’s a good indication what kind of intention their original comment held (if it was not already obvious). I tend to disregard this type of behavior and not engage.
Comments unrelated to the post, comments that are disrespectful, or become disrespectful do not have to be approved. Do your best to judge wisely before responding. This is your blog. You have the authority over what gets seen by others and what does not. Personally, I choose to protect my readers from false theology and twisting of scripture. Choose what works best for your blog.
Please note, though, opposing comments can be helpful. They can edify. When we KNOW we post something that is controversial, we cannot think everyone will agree with us. When you write a heavy post, walk in knowing this or do not write the post at all, if you are not ready to handle it. These posts can get intense, not only the writing portion, but the feedback you receive after publishing. Be as prepared as you can be. Be ready to defend your faith in a manner that gives God glory and is Christlike. (1 Peter 3:15)
That being said, it’s not a sin to not respond to comments OR to decide to take off comments.
With this in mind, do your best to handle opposing views IN THE POST, so that should troubling comments come, your post already addresses those concerns. Some people just want to argue, and they don’t care whether you’ve addressed their concerns or not. Some people will stick to their bias, and often these comments are not helpful and cause division. There might be good reasons to respond though. If you think responding will be beneficial to OTHER readers, consider what needs to be said. Remember, your focus should always be on Jesus Christ.
Disagreements can create good discussion, but again, be wise.
Scripture To Remember When You Struggle
(NLT) Proverbs 15:23, “Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!” (ESV version is: “To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!”)
Struggling For Post Ideas
I started a series to help with this, and to make the last point of this post lighter. 🙂
Finding a consistency, a schedule, what to write on takes time. Make sure to have a notepad of some sort (physical or digital) nearby for ideas. I’ve also covered this in more depth here.
– I hope this was helpful to you 🙂
If you would like to see MY comment rules, and how I address it check out: Rules For Comments (Why Some May Not Appear)
Bible Study can inspire a lot of topics for posts. Here are some posts I’ve written on if you would like to work on Bible Studying. Check out: Bible Study Tips | The Four R’s Of Bible Studying, Bible Studying Tips | When Going Over 1 Chapter Of The Bible, Why We Need To Read The Bible In Context | Bible Study Tips & “Translation” Cautions, 3 Ways To Study The Bible Better, Importance Of Bible Study (UnAshamed)
To learn more about what Jesus did on the cross and why His atonement sacrifice is so needed please see: Why Did A Loving God Kill His Son? (Does God Hate?) If you do not know the Gospel, do not turn away. If you think you know the Gospel, check out these questions and see how prepared you are for the day someone might ask you why you believe: The Gospel Challenge (30 Question Quiz) – Are You Ready To Defend Your Faith?
Monthly Scripture To Memorize/Meditate On – (ESV) Romans 5:08, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Community Prayer – June ‘21
Get To Know Me & My Blog
Believer Handbook
Personal Blog: Peeking Beneath Second Blog: UnAshamed Christian Housewife
Inside Cup 
Love your update, great points!🤗
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Thank you! 🙂
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