Happy writing!
I recently picked up my small faux-leather Oswald Chambers devotional again and, like a painting that seems to be gazing at you wherever you are standing, it always has a message for me.
I’ve been trying to write two to three posts a week and so far I haven’t run out of things to say. And yet I’m finding that the problem isn’t always what I say, but where I find my inspiration. In our humanistic society, we are made out to be the source of our own lives. We are meant to be self-sustaining and self-focused. The theme of life is that if we do not find happiness within ourselves, then we are out of luck. So I think our first instinct as writers sculpted by society is to dig into ourselves to find truth.
As a Jesus follower, I would tell you that I don’t agree with this, but as a car with wheels out of alignment eventually begins to swerve off the road, so, too, can I find myself in the ditch as I align with society’s message instead of with my Master Teacher’s.
And so Ozzy’s words on February 27 bore holes in me:
“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw water with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?” (John 4:11)
“The well is deep–and even a great deal deeper than the Samaritan woman knew…Jesus doesn’t bring anything up from the wells of human nature–He brings them down from above…The impoverishment is in us, not Him…We struggle to reach the bottom of our own well, trying to get water for ourselves…The well of your incompleteness runs deep, but make the effort to look away from yourself and look toward Him.”
Where are you finding your water? In the well of self or the well that is full of Living Water that will never dry up?
As a writer who is also a believer in the creator and sustainer of life, I long for my words to originate from the Source of all life and not merely from myself. I want to draw from that well. And it is encouraging to know that as long as I am drawing my words from the Living Water, the source of my words will never dry up.
Do you ever have this struggle?
How do you practically stay connected to the source of Living Water as you pursue your calling as a writer? (I’m still working on this one, so I’d love to hear your practical solutions!)
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This is great, and I find it hard to stay connected. Things that help me are: 1. Reading books and listening to sermons. I never read only one book at a time…I like a mix of voices so it adds to my insidhgt as a writer without creeping in and changing my voice…or throwing it off onto someone else's message that I'm just excited about in reading their book or listening to them speak. So, multiple voices…. But …2. Keeping my focus on the main voice. How is God speaking through whatever I am reading, doing and experiencing. Lining everything up to His Word. 3. Staying in the Word. I pick up extra studies when I'm having a hard time focusing.They always end up blending together as God teaches and grows me. 4. Living life. I sometimes have to put my pens down and pull my priorities back into position. I'm called first as a mom, and if I focus on that first, I have plenty to write about …God teaches me though that first calling. Happy Tuesday!!! Megs
Thanks so much for your thoughts and ideas! And I love the obvious, but oh-so-easy to forget, "live life." I appreciate your input!