Why Not Quit?

 

By Karen Wingate

 

It had been a long week of life conflicts. How was I supposed to write when other stuff intruded on my time and my brain felt too foggy with other concerns to put together any coherent thoughts?

 

I escaped for my daily walk and met my neighbor, Jeanie, on the street, her dog in tow. She’s one of my few non-writer friends who asks me about my writing.

 

“Oh, Jeanie, I’m ready to quit. I can’t do this.”

 

She pulled at the leash, drawing little Joey back to her. “No, no, you mustn’t quit. You love writing too much.”

 

How does she know? my brain muttered as I continued my walk. She doesn’t know me that well. But Jeanie’s words haunted me. At that moment, it all seemed so hard. Yet I’ve been writing for decades. Could I really let it go?

 

Once I came home, God’s quiet nudge invited me to set the timer for a half hour to work on my latest project. When I finally came up for air, I felt that deep core of satisfaction and peace when I’ve had a good writing session. Yes. Jeanie was right. Writing is as essential to my being as breathing.

 

Have you had moments where arranging thoughts into sentences and paragraphs gives you a profound contentment like nothing else? You wonder whether you’re crazy or too obsessed with words for your own good? No, you aren’t crazy. God wired you that way. That gut-level satisfaction is there because you are being obedient in using the gift God instilled in you.

 

Think about Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (NIV). Writing that honors God is a good work! God gave you this gift. You are uniquely created to cultivate that gift. Because it’s something you’ve received from God, He expects you to carefully craft your words “as one who speaks the very words of God” and serve Him “with the strength God provides (1 Peter 4:10,11). When you write with that mindset, God will be praised, you will feel His pleasure, and you will know you are right where you belong.

 

God never promises that life will be calm and easy when you use your gifts in His name. Instead, the Bible often tells stories of men and women who faced hardships and frustrations when they stepped forward for God’s service. Yet the more we wrestle with words and struggle with life situations that threaten to derail our writing, the sweeter and more joyous will be the victory. Deep inside, you and I will know the effort it took to produce that manuscript. We’ll remember how God walked with us through the darker moments. And we’ll reflect how we found our inner strength through Christ.

 

We’ll savor the sweetness of the finished product and agree with our family, friends, and neighbors, “Yes! I do love to write!”

 

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.

Karen Wingate, author of three devotional books and hundreds of articles, continues to write with joy from her home in Tucson, Arizona.  You can find her books, blog, speaking roster, and newsletter signup at www.karenwingate.com.