Do you have trouble waiting? It’s a normal part of life, particularly when you have to wait on or for others. And although waiting isn’t easy, it can be rewarding for your writing, especially when you know that writing is your calling from the Lord.
Here are some points to consider when waiting on the Lord to inspire you.
Why Wait?
Being a writer wasn’t something I always wanted to do. In fact, the Lord had to nudge me into it when a friend asked me to help develop her writing skills. Once I started coming up with creative ideas to demonstrate the wordsmithing process, I was hooked, especially when it came to writing inspirational stories and stories for children.
However, when I realized that the Lord was really calling me to be a writer, I was a little hesitant. Could I really do this? Where would I get my material? Where would I get my inspiration? So, I made an agreement of sorts with Him. I said, “Okay, Lord. I will write; but You have to give me ideas on what to write.” That was over twenty years ago. And as I give my work to Him, He has given me insights and ideas and the right words to use in my writings. All I have to do is trust Him and wait on Him, which, as you can imagine isn’t always that simple.
The Importance of Waiting
Now, you have to understand that I am not the most patient person in the world. When I was a child, my mother had to find creative ways to keep me busy because I was always finishing up activities early, and I wanted to move onto something else so I wouldn’t get bored. I have come a long way since then, but I still like to get projects taken care of as soon as possible so I don’t have to worry about them later on when my schedule could get busier.
But, I know that if I want to be the writer the Lord has called me to be, then I need to be patient, and wait until He provides the insight I need to write what He would have me write. This is crucial in those times when I want to point to the calendar and “remind” the Lord that my deadlines are looming; but I know the waiting will bring out God’s best in me. And, there are times when I don’t have a clue what to do next. It is especially at those times that I have to trust the Lord to provide that hint of an idea that can be developed into something that I may not have thought of if I had rushed through the process.
How to Wait
Waiting takes practice. It is easy to want to pace about or to start feeling anxious when other events or regular life activities pop up that can infringe on your writing time. What has worked best for me is to remember that the Lord knows all things. He knows about my upcoming deadline and that I have given this project to Him. Then, I push the thought of that project furthest away in my mind. I get busy doing other things, training my mind to “relax” about what I know needs to be done. And you know what? So many times when I’m preoccupied or doing something completely unrelated, a little thought thread brushes the edges of my mind. That thread becomes an idea that I can expand upon and write about. God is so good!
It is hard to wait. But when you want the Lord to bless your project, it is worth trusting Him to give you the insight you need. The great thing is that God is never late, and He is never early. He is always right on time to provide.
How has waiting helped your writing?
Catherine L. Osornio has written inspirational articles for a women’s ministry newsletter, over 200 leveled reader stories for a school’s reading program, fiction and nonfiction articles for Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines, The Declaration of Independence from A to Z, Thunder Comes a Rumblin’, plus various work-for-hire projects. A former elementary school librarian, Catherine is passionate about sharing the love of reading. She enjoys cartooning, illustration, and reading kids’ books. Email her at CLOsornio@verizon.net or visit her at www.catherineosornio.com.
Unsplash. com photo credits in order: Patrick Fore, Brad Neathery, and Ben White.
I agree that waiting–particularly waiting on the Lord is hard! Thanks for this reminder.
Catherine, my question is: How did you really know God was calling you to write? I am in my 60’s and still not sure!😒
For me, it was a series of circumstances that kept confirming that I was to write. One, of course, was helping my friend. Then, I kept seeing writing opportunities: our church newsletter needed writers. I prayed about that, and God gave me a little devotional idea that was accepted. Little things like that kept confirming this is what I was to do. And to me, everything is a stepping stone. The writing for our church’s newsletter continued and led to me meeting Nancy Sanders, who as you may know, is part of this group. That led to joining a critique group, writing for Focus on the Family, etc. Open doors were everywhere.
Just give your skills to Him, and pray for confirmation. He will provide!
Thank you, Catherine for your wise words. Whatever skills I have, I have already given to Him. Now, confirmation and provision!
Waiting can be hard, but you’re right, Catherine, during that waiting, God can bring so many ideas to mind!