“You can fix anything but a blank page just start writing.”
I received an email with this quote.
In a Christian context and with a Christian mindset I would say I cannot fix anything including a blank page to be honest.
I used to think I could fix things myself, and it was not because I was trained in DIY techniques nor think that I had a natural creative flair in relation to physically putting things together. Also it was not because I thought I was gifted with an abundance of wisdom to transform things, people or life in general.
Such a mindset developed not consciously but subconsciously rooted I believe in the carnal fallen nature of self dependence and a tendency to control and manipulate situations for a self satisfied outcome.
But when I came to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, I gradually realised that everything I personally tried to fix or concoct without Christ being at the centre, although it may have looked perfect on the outside would in no time result in pain and heartache or not bear godly fruit.
Likewise in my writing life, I have noticed a blank page will stay blank or sprawled with my own facts, details and stories if I have not spent quality time with my heavenly Father consistently. I give glory to God that my call to write remained private for a good number of years before it became very public after which there was no holding me back!!
Privately, I learnt to write daily devotionals, words of encouragement from God to me personally and prophecies I did not feel compelled to show anyone but to pray about so that they would come to fruition. I learnt to discern increasingly God’s voice and to distinguish it from other voices including my own. I also enjoyed preparing for my cell group meetings. While I wrote out my thoughts, reflections and questions for the group, I always did so only after a time of prayer and worship surrendering the whole cell meeting to God and yielding to Him to direct me to His choice of scriptures to use. God is my source of inspiration and wisdom in ministry as in every area of my life.
In my writing ministry, I perceive God as the writer, the poet or the “Word-Smith”, and I am His “Pen”. As His “Pen”, I am His vessel of inspiration to me first and then through me to others. I am still learning to yield more and more daily in every area of ministry to God’s prompting and voice.
Through Christ, God is reconciling the world back to himself and as believers in Christ we are commissioned to do likewise in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is how powerful we are in whatever ministry we engage in for Christ and that includes writing.
May we give ourselves wholeheartedly to every ministry stream we are called to whether it is writing, evangelism, preaching or feeding the hungry for our Almighty God is ever present and working through His people in all these areas.
It is my personal belief and I state that from experience that believers in Christ need to stay constantly tuned in to God for inspiration and not only through bible study, prayer and singing praises but also by being attentive to events around them and in the world at large.
Why? This is because God speaks through everything or situations around us and this includes people’s actions, nature and the world as a whole. Praying for spiritual gifts is very important because a writer needs to sharpen their sensitivity to God which includes their ability to hear from Him as to what He wants them to write about among other things.
After all Jesus said that He only did what he saw the Father doing and that the works he did were not his own for the Father who sent Him was doing the works. As a born again Christian writer my confession is the same as that of Christ; I set my gaze on God daily so that He takes absolute control and works through me which includes fixing things and the blank page.
©Deborah E.Nyamekye 9/09/2016
Biblical Exhortations, Devotionals & Poetry 