“The Lord will finish the work He began in you." ~ Philippians 1:6
Every morning, Bennett entered his study with a steaming
mug of tea and locked the door. Except for answering nature’s call, he’d stay
there until he’d written two thousand words. But he’d written his last paragraph
nearly a week ago, deleting and retyping it multiple times before erasing the
idea altogether.
He stared contemptuously at a blank screen. Try as he
might, no words came. Fragmented thoughts bounced inside his brain, but he
couldn’t form them into anything coherent.
Bennett had hit a dry
spell.
At first, he ignored
it. He kept pushing forward, pretending everything was okay. For creative
people, burnout is the scourge; both unexpected and stressful.
He’d power-cleaned his
office – three times. He waded through previous story ideas. He even tried
writing an unrelated short story. Nothing sparked.
Meditation and relaxation techniques were boring
- like walking through water instead of air. He could do them, but he’d much
rather run and jump.
As he trekked through the golden aspens and jagged cliffs, Jesus’
voice became clear. “Why don’t you live like this, walking with Me and enjoying
the suspense of what’s coming next?”
Bennett stopped suddenly. What if he released the yoke and
let God fly the plane? If Christ led this adventure, wouldn’t he be able to
enjoy the view more? Could the anxiety that’s currently blocking his creativity
be unleashed?
Amid the rolling hills and towering peaks, a sense of
wonder engulfed him. He prayed. “Lord, teach me to live with anticipation
and excitement rather than limit myself to my expectations. Help me see what
You’ve planned is greater than anything I could imagine.”
As Bennett finished
his six-mile hike, he heard God’s whisper again. “What if you relaxed and let
My hand guide your thoughts and words? Together we can write a magnificent
story.”
Reenergized, Bennett returned
to the keyboard. He began weaving prose as naturally as a bird weaves a nest,
rich in emotion, imagery, and metaphor. But this time he let God guide his thinking
with a new purpose.
His first novel climbed to the top of the ECPA’s (Evangelical
Christian Publishers Association) ‘Best Sellers’ List. He’d go on to write
several additional books (with his ‘Ghost’ writer’s help), reigniting his
passion for artistic writing.
We all go through phases where we feel like we’re wandering
through a spiritual desert. But don’t be discouraged. Christ is still working,
and He will finish the work He began in you. He might even use an arid
season to teach perseverance.
The Lord is always with you. He loves you, and He will
bring about fruit and growth as you remain attached to Him through a
desperately dry period. At any given moment God could do something amazing in
your life.
Father God, free us from the limits of our
plans and expectations. Free our minds to use the skills You’ve given us to
serve Your people better. Amen
