Is There Room in the Writing World for You?
By
Andrea Merrell
It’s
hard to know for sure how Mary must have felt the night she was about to give
birth to the Savior of the world. Weary, cold, most likely hungry, and going
into labor she was surely ready to climb off that donkey and crawl into a soft,
warm bed.
But
the only words she heard over and over were “no room.”
I
can only imagine the other words she heard that night. “Sorry. Filled up. You
should have gotten here earlier. Come back another time.” She might have even been
told “our rooms are reserved for frequent, high-profile guests.” An earful of
discouragement.
At
times we might face that same discouragement as writers—especially after a long
journey of conferences, critique groups, appointments, classes, devouring books
on the craft … and rejections.
No room. Sorry, that
category is filled up. You should have submitted your proposal earlier. Come
back another time after you rewrite your novel or come up with a new story.
Your genre is not quite what we’re looking for at the moment. Yes, we have
spots open, but they’re reserved for our high-profile, well-known authors.
That’s
when the Enemy fills our mind with thoughts like: I might as well give up. What’s the point? I’m tired of trying. God
must not have called me to do this after all. Maybe He’s even forgotten about
me.
That’s
when the fight-or-flight instinct kicks in. We either go into hiding or fight
for what we want. We might shut down our computers and quit or try to break
down the door that has been closed to us. Either way, it’s a waiting game.
So,
what should we do while we’re waiting?
Just keep on, as they say, keepin’ on. Do what God has called us to do. We should
never be tempted to try and promote ourselves. That’s God’s job, and He takes
it seriously. He’s also very good at it. We need to look to Him for acceptance
and approval, find our significance and self-worth in our relationship with
Him. One pastor says, "In God’s kingdom you don’t achieve success on your own,
you receive it from God. Let others compete and compare. Just stay faithful in
what God’s given you to do—and when the time is right … He’ll come and get you.”
I
love that statement “He’ll come and get you.” Just like He came after David as the
young shepherd was tending sheep, doing the job he was given to do, while his
brothers were striving to be Israel’s next king. God had a plan. He knew
exactly where David was and how to find him. When the time was right, God sent
for him.
The
truth is in God’s kingdom there’s always enough room—for all of us. When we belong
to and work for the Creator of the universe, the Master of Creativity, there is
never a shortage of opportunities. The venue you have in mind may not be the
one He has reserved for you, but it’s there with your name on it—not someone
with more notoriety.
As
a child of God, He has a plan and purpose for you and for your writing. He
knows exactly where you are and how to find you. Trust Him for His perfect
timing. He will open doors of opportunity that no one else can. There is more
than enough room in the writing world—for you!
(Photos courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net, artur84, basketman, and David Castillo Dominici.)
TWEETABLE
great post. So encouraging. I'd love to repost on my blog but I use Wordpress. Cindy Huff
ReplyDelete