Remedy for Weary Writers
By
Maureen Miller
He leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.
Psalm 23:2-3 NIV
We
live in dark times. The enemy lurks, seeking whom he may devour. We sense it—Satan’s
desire to steal not only our joy but our lives. And the prince of deception
knows if he can silence those who’ve been called, fully equipped to write God’s
truth, he’ll gain a victory.
Thankfully,
we know how the story ends. Armed with the sword of the Spirit, covered in armor
and holding out our shield of faith, we march on, right? And why?
To
write … right?
My
inquiry is for consolation’s sake—to know I’m not alone. Because sometimes I
feel weary, which can also be the Enemy’s tactic. But I’m determined not to
give him an inch, though ironically, last month I felt led to practice a sabbatical.
God called me to a quiet season, to lean in to my Savior, away from the
dissonance of clamoring voices—from Facebook, unnecessary texts and emails, as
well as my own words on my website.
I
had several commitments the first week of the new month, so I honored them—giving
myself grace to fulfill two book launches for authors and some other “support”
projects. But after those first seven days? Silence.
We
all know what happened on September 10th. With the assassination of
Charlie Kirk—a man who spoke boldly concerning open dialogue—the world went
wild. I was like, “Really, God? You want me mute? I have so much to say. Opinions
to voice. Perspectives to share.”
God’s
response? Silence. Not a word. Not an, Okay, I’ll make an exception. Not,
You’re right. I’ve created you to weave words to promote the gospel. Not
even, Very well, but just one post. Instead, nothing. Nada.
And I
knew. He was serious. Those sad circumstances weren’t a surprise to Him. God
knew all that would transpire when He’d called me to set aside September for
silence, and I had two choices—to obey or disobey.
Reluctantly
at first, I obeyed, falling silent on Facebook, my blog, and from frivolous
texts and emails. Instead, I listened to worship music and read a good book. I
continued my Bible study and talked with friends on the phone. I enjoyed walks
and wrote in “quieter” ways as I waited out those weeks.
To
refresh my soul.
My
Good Shepherd knows what I need. And writing warriors, He knows what you need
too. He’s called us to the high and noble cause of weaving words for His glory,
for the good of our readers. He’s equipped us to fight the good fight with
sentences and paragraphs in a world shrouded in darkness, our Enemy lurking at
the door. Yes, as a favorite lyricist wrote—it’s the “burden of bearing the
light.”*
Friends,
does your soul need to be restored? Because the battle is ugly, and it may not
improve until heaven.
I’m
not sure what God will call me to pen in the coming days, but I feel confident
in this: my season of silence wasn’t to thwart the work God is doing in and
through me but, rather, to better equip me. To fully prepare me.
There’s
purpose in silence, as this warrior writer is learning. And there’s power in
one’s words when God says, “Okay, now… write.”
Armed
for battle, be willing to work, but let’s not discount the possibility of—the
power in—a season of silence. Perhaps He’s calling you first to, Come rest
by quiet waters. If so, obey. There’s a world to win for Jesus, and time is
short. Let’s be ready, with souls restored.
*Michael
Card’s “Bearers of the Light” from Poiéma
Photo by Debabrata Hazra on Unsplash
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
Comments
Post a Comment