On Thursdays this year, I'll share thoughts, tips and inspiration for writers. I'm certainly not an expert, but am simply seeking personal encouragement in this art and want to share with anyone who's also trying to find their way as a writer. These short posts will come from books, articles, the Bible, my own thoughts, and other people. Subscribe in the upper right corner so that you don't miss a post. If you're new to the series, find all the posts here. Come meet me in the comments--I'd love to read your thoughts on writing.
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.
"Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you will get neither."
~C.S. Lewis
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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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Labels: Spiritual Lessons, Thursday Thoughts for Writers, writing
