CONQUERING FEAR

For months I have once more been dealing with situations in my life that have demanded my full attention and energy so have let my writing take a back seat for a time. Enough of that! I hope you readers are as excited to have me back as I am to be here.

Yesterday in my Sunday School class we had a lesson on Ecclesiastes that hit me between the eyes with its directness and on-target message for my writing as well as for my life in general. The so-called “perfect time” for any task will never come! I am to do what I can, when I can, and allow God the privilege of bearing the responsibility for the outcome. Living in fear is wrong, whether it is fear of the future or fear that my writing might offend rather than glorify the Lord. Both of these examples are huge tools in the hands of our enemy, holding us back when we should be bold and step out in faith. I had a lot of confessing to do at that moment, when God reminded me that His call to write for Him had not changed, no matter how hectic my life had become recently. No one knows what’s ahead but Him and I refuse to spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about it. He will give me courage and wisdom to deal with each bend in the path and bumps along the way. What I have to do is MY job which is to write!

By hesitating and procrastinating I actually limit God’s power to be unleashed in my life. Do I really want this to happen? Of course not! And neither, I suspect, do you. How have you been limiting the Lord’s work with worry? What steps are you going to take to prevent this from happening any longer?

I am to bloom where He has planted me, not where He has planted others. Do you have the same problem I do in remembering this truth? I see others publishing left and right and wonder why this hasn’t happened to me. Yet, am I really working at it like they are? I think not. Should I? You bet! I don’t want to live constantly striving for more of anything but to learn to be content with what I have at the moment. But I have to remember that to reach any goal requires hard work and clear objectives. Someone said yesterday that when we are young teens we live to get our driver’s license; but now that we are aging quickly, we should remember to enjoy having one before they take it away. Oh, how true this is! Paul referenced contentment often in his writings but it is even more true today than back then. Patience has never been my strong suit but God keeps trying to teach me.

Our teacher ended the lesson by quoting a FEAR acronym that he had read in a commentary. What would you list as the traits we should exhibit to experience victory over fear in our writing lives, or perhaps one for contentment? I will be excited to read your ideas!

Are You Steadfast?

While studying a passage in Psalms the other day, I found a word that intrigued me—“steadfast”—and began looking at other places in the Bible where it appears. As with all interconnected verses, it became difficult to know where to stop! One led to another which led to yet another and so forth. And each had a slightly different meaning, yet all helped shed light on the original verse. Such it is with God’s Word, a true light for our path no matter how far afield we might stray in our thinking.

When we as Christian writers follow the calling God has placed on our hearts to write for Him, we often find this same kind of web-style network impacting our writing. Perhaps you need to look up more information on a type of food that would be served at a Medieval banquet and then you find another rabbit trail to pounce on in the midst of this research. And before long, an entire morning is gone and the novel’s next chapter still lies unwritten. Yes, you have learned a great deal about Medieval life but nothing significant regarding the original question of what foods to describe on the plates of those attending the feast. Yet, is it wasted time? Not by a long shot!

And in the same way when God reveals another piece of His character to us while pursuing a specific word study, we often learn more than we bargained for. And learning is always good!

In this case, I learned in Psalm 112:7 that my heart does not have to fear bad news if my heart is holding fast and trusting in God alone. My heart will be secure and where He is, fear is not! Even when the darkness surrounds me, verse 4 in that chapter tells me that His light springs forth. Nothing my enemy can do comes close to this miracle and for that I am deeply grateful. I have this verse cross-referenced with Isaiah 26:3-4, a well known passage that reminds us He will keep us in His perfect peace when our hearts are strong in His love. So when faced with trouble, these words reassure me that all my plans will be worked out in His timing if I lay my hands on God’s truths to keep me steady. And this is what will keep me safe and secure as I navigate through life.

How does that apply to my writing? In plenty of ways! When I’m awaiting word on a contest entry or a submission to an agent or publisher, there is no need to worry or fret over what the answer will be. I can rest in the knowledge He is in control of that situation and has a better plan than mine ever could be for my future as a writer. It might be a resounding yes, but even if it is a no, I don’t have to be anxious. And believe me, so far I’ve had abundant experience with this! Have I always reacted the way He wants me to? Sad to say, not at all. But the times I do His peace is so real I can taste and smell it oozing through the words on the page before me.

“Yes, Laura, I’m still here and still in control. And yes, Laura, I have a great plan for your writing not far up ahead. Keep at it, stay steady and strong. Be steadfast and the riches of My rewards will be greater than you could ever have imagined.”

Do I trust Him? Absolutely! Will I obey and let Him work this out? You bet! He is the CEO of my writing career and when He shows me the next step, I have only to step forth in confidence and faith that He has a purpose behind His command. Mystical? Not on your life, just simple, child-like faith that He is my God. I hope you can say the same today, that He is yours, too! If not, I would love to share with you how you can feel that same assurance of your soul for all eternity!