If you're like me, you're obsessed with questioning yourself. Two of the most repetitive questions I ask myself are: Is writing truly what God calls me to do? and, How much time and effort does God want me to put into it at this time in my life?I was thinking about this the other day, wondering how to find answers to these questions when God clearly didn't have the desire to whisper His answers in my ear. I know this because these questions have been with me for years, and here I am still asking them of Him because I've yet to receive His divine responses.
But then a strange thing happened. This following phrase flowed through my mind with no hesitation and no internal editing either.
It's in the doing that the knowing comes.
When tapping into my internal editor and writing tight, my rewrite of this becomes:
It's in doing that knowing comes.
Anyone heard of this before? It's got to be from somewhere and my subconscious just retrieved it from its depth of hiding because it's way too brilliant to be original to me.
We cannot know if writing is for us if we do not write.
We cannot figure out how much time and effort God calls us to write without first allotting time and effort to it.
As we write, are we being fulfilled? Do we feel a sense of peace in the challenge?
Is balance in our lives? ie. Are we being pulled from writing to fulfill another honourable desire of our heart? If so, then it's time to listen to that inner pull. Don't quit, but rather cut back until balance is achieved, until that sense of peace returns.
It's in doing that knowing comes.
With prayer we can confidently stop worrying about whether or not writing is for us by simply doing it. If it's not for us there will be no fulfillment in the doing.
With prayer we can confidently discern how much time God wants us to devote to writing. If we're driven to do more and peace is present then we need to build on our time until we feel that pull. We'll feel the pull when family needs aren't met, or when our spiritual life is weakening, when peace fades. Adjust your writing accordingly. Rediscover fulfillment, balance, and peace.
Our time allotment for writing according to God's desire may well very from day to day, especially for those with young families, or crisis in their lives. But remember, just because He's saying no one day, it doesn't mean He's going to say no the next.
Pray, write, honestly discern on a daily basis using the peace meter, and you'll be writing to God's will every day of your life.
So, what's God calling of you today?
Surrendering to Him,
Eileen
15 comments:
He might be calling me to iron my hub's clothes. *cringe*
Good questions and I should ask Him what He wants me to do today.
I've never heard that phrase before, I don't think, so you may very well be brillian, Mrs. Astels Watson. :-)
I get this. I really get this. Sometimes I'll ask this question and then work on my WIP and everything will just snap together, in my head, in the work and it feels like I was born to write.
The answer can truly come in the doing. (I'm careful not to rely on that "feeling" though b/c there are times it hides.)
~ Wendy
Jessica, no worries about me being brilliant. Seriously, no worries. :)
Wendy, You're absolutely right, that feeling when it goes against YOUR desire sure does have the ability to hide. When that happens I praise God for my family stepping in and giving it straight to me in no uncertain terms!!
God's dealing with me on this very thing. My drive to write began to overshadow my zeal for spiritual intimacy. I'm working to create the balance. I love the Lord and I love my writing, and I know that He cares about both relationships.
I have asked these same questions, Eileen. And had the same no response. It has been hard too. Maybe as I do I'll find out. I always thought God led me to writing for children, because information seemed to fall on my lap. It came easy. So I figured it was God's will. But here lately the question came back to me with a vengeance. But I have had a peace about it and decided to keep on keepin' on.
As long as I still spend as much time with him as I want to. Which is lots. I never want to neglect him as I have in the past. He's my rock.
Wonderful post, my friend. :-)
To stop catching up on blogs and get my doggone taxes done!
Oh well, I have to poke my nose into a few more blogs and get some more great insight like here. Thanks for the reminders about why we write.
"It's in doing that knowing comes."
I love this, Eileen. It speaks to where I've been lately. I'm writing my way through Second Book Syndrome. At first the words came s-l-o-w-l-y, but the further I've gotten into the story, the faster the flow. By doing the work, I now know where my story is headed and feel much better about it.
I love this. It's pithy and true and resonates.
I'm going to be thinking about this for a long time.
Sorry for the delete...typo.
"It's in doing that knowing comes."
I've asked God those same questions of my own writing. After an amazing 72 hour journey, I now know what I'm writing for.
He is dealing with me personally on a few issues of fear. I have given over to total trust and I am overcoming!
Hi, Ladies:
Wonderful to have you all stop by and glad this resonates with you, it sure does with me.
Loree, My very first book that I wrote helped me deal with a debilitating fear I had. I'd like to see that one published too, as if it helped me, I suspect it might help others who share a similar fear as well!
God is amazing in how He heals us, isn't He!
Eileen, These words resonated the first time you shared them with me and your expansion here resonates even deeper. I think many of us tend to think it has to be an all-or-nothing venture, but you've presented a way to write while maintaining our home lives and our relationships with God. Thankful you shared these words of wisdom here!
I write because i need to, it is like breathing to me.
So nice to meet you, I do hope you'll visit with me sometime!
My 'screen' door is always open to passionate creative types.
Ciao Bella!
Creative Carmelina
I think I'm happier when I'm writing regularly but it's hard. When I was younger I could write 15-20 pages a day and I probably still could if I forced myself to sit down and do it. But I can't sneak and write at work anymore, WAY too busy, and at home I just get too easily distracted. I need discipline!
Great thoughts! I'm right there with you, and have been struggling with this question for a long time. It's great to see you blogging again :)
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