A Pilgrim's Musings: Writers Write Right?

I am a writer. Writers write…right? One of the sure signs that one is a writer is a journal, every writer puts pen to page to journal their thoughts; every intricate and intimate detail of their lives finds its way on to the written page…or typed page. If one keeps a journal they can with confidence declare, “I am a writer.” It seems to be an unwritten rule to those truly called to write. All the great authors kept journals, right? They all have been writing since they could hold a pen in hand, right?

I keep a journal or two, one on the written page, the other captured on the keyboard. If you read my journal, the typed page (password protected of course) you won’t find many details of my life. You would find the promises God spoke to me, the dreams He has whispered into my spirit while I slept, the wrestlings that have accompanied those dreams, with details I am surprised that He would entrust to me…and humbled, as I limp away from the fight; Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.You may find a few feeble prayers from this cracked vessel—no, broken vessel. 

God’s beautiful words in Psalm 25:4 encourages us contemplatives; The Lord confides in those who fear him. The NASB reads, The secret of the Lord is for those that fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant.  I have always believed that, and believed for it—but still stand awed that He did it for me. 

Several years ago the Lord gave me a vision of myself, you may find yourself laughing, but it is true nonetheless. He showed me a picture of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. I am much like her. I will fight the forces of darkness to get to God and will lead others to Him, and show them He has good gifts for their lives. But when the time comes to receive those gifts, I watch as others receive theirs, but disappointedly remark, “Oh, I don’t think there is anything in that black bag for me.” In truth, Dorothy felt that her need was too big for the Oz to handle-if the black bag couldn’t hold it—it wasn’t possible. How often do we put God in a box, and if things don’t come to pass as we think it should, it just isn’t going to happen? Just as Dorothy had no idea that the Oz had a better way, one that would carry her on the wind-back home, we cannot see from our perspective how God will perform on our behalf. Thankfully, God works with us where we are and He will not forsake us. He still has prepared good gifts for us, despite our flaws and shortcomings; our unfaithfulness.

The Holy Spirit has been nudging me—again, to write. I don’t know if I will divulge every intricate detail; honestly, I am not sure my life would grip you. But I think writing is the means God uses to coax me from my cave; most times I feel as if I am running for my life—afraid, and like Elijah hide from the pain. If I were to be honest, the reason my journal pages are scarce is that I grow weary of believing and hoping, and I didn’t want my disappointments penned as a reminder of my failings of not waiting well, the questioning, the tossing and turning, the wrestlings—waiting for dreams to come true and promises to be fulfilled. I have walked through many heartbreaks—some rough roads indeed, it simply took too much mental energy to rehash them into a journal; it was hard enough to walk through them without having to put pain to paper. But here I stand by the grace of a loving Savior. I find now, in hindsight, that writing them down would have been healing, but so be the consequences of ignoring the promptings of the Holy Spirit. 

Now there are few details to be found in those struggles, but that which remains in my memory—no doubt this may prove that I am not a “real writer.” But I do purpose to write more. My desire for writing is to write purposefully. I don’t want to write something every day—just for the sake of writing, and fill space with meaningless chatter, I want to write on purpose; to convey a message, one of comfort from the God of all comfort when we are walking through tragedy, hurt and disappointments. If my pen and prose don’t shout Christ’s love for you, or lead you to a deeper truth about Him, I don’t want to write. 

This may illustrate to some that I am not a “real writer,” because writers write, right? The commandments for becoming a writer: Thou must write a blog post every day or you won’t gain the followers you need to build a platform. Thou must tweet 600 times a day—you are one tweet away from the jackpot of being discovered and published.  Honestly, if that is what it takes to get published, it’s not for me. Perhaps I am not a “real writer.” I just want to bring a message of comfort and hope in life’s pages that prove harsh and weary the soul. I would not have lived to tell a single struggle without learning to trust God, even when I couldn't trace Him. Let us journey down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City, to the Almighty and All-Powerful God who has good gifts in store for those that seek Him. 

It is time for all of us to stop letting others define us, and just be who God called us to be. It is hard not to compare ourselves to others; I stand in the mirror and am reminded of my short-comings and how I am not like her, or her. God wants us to look in the mirror of His Word—His love letter—and believe what He says about us. We must learn to drown out those voices and be exactly who God called us to be. I want all that God has for me, and I want to do all that He bids. I am a writer. 

Writers write, right? 

Great is Thy Faithfulness

God is faithful. He is faithful when we are not. He is faithful to provide His mercy to us when we need it. Like clockwork His mercies are new with the rising of the sun;

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

“How refreshing, then, how unspeakably blessed, to lift our eyes above this scene of ruin, and behold One who is faithful, faithful in all things, faithful at all times” (Pink, 1975, 52).

Know therefore that the Lord Thy God, He is God, the faithful God. Deut. 7:9

Prophecy:  

Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist. (Is. 11:5) 

His descendants shall endure forever and his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever like the moon, and the witness in the sky is faithful. Selah. (Psalm 89:36-37)

Fulfillment: 

Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. (1 Thess. 5:24)

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. (2 Tim. 2:13)

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood. (Rev. 1:5)

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.(Rev. 2:10)

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. (Rev. 19:11)  

How faithful are you? I am the first to confess that I am checking my faithfulness level. Jesus said, “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8 NASB). Abiding in God is the surest way to remain faithful. 

When you depend on God, when He is your oxygen, when you can’t breathe without Him, when you reach the point that you know you will die without Him, you are abiding in God. He will strengthen you and be the wind beneath your wings. Trust in God, know that He holds you in His hand. Rest in Him.

“Are we resting with implicit assurance on these words, ‘He is faithful that promised’ (Heb. 10:23).” (Pink, 53).

In His Grace,

***UPDATE***

I just came from hearing an amazing woman speak at our church tonight. Cindi McMenamin is an amazing author and speaker. She read Psalm 139 tonight, and though not in the same context as my above post, I wanted to recite God's beautiful Psalm through His anointed Psalter; 

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139: 7-12 NIV)

How beautiful is God’s faithfulness? You cannot run from Him; He will pursue you. When you try to turn away from Him; He will not give up or turn away. That is the measure of His faithfulness.

 

Surviving The Snow