Fear of Your Writing Self
Ah, I know who you are. You sit with feet up eating bonbons and telling everyone you don’t have time to write.
You play with the little ones and throw their ball back with intensity, but you cry out that you have no time to write.
The dog needs a walk and you take him with enthusiasm, telling everyone that you really should be writing but maybe you will get an idea out there in the frozen snow.
Oh, I know who you are because you are me on my worst days.
As someone once said … (Actually, it was me, but I digress!)
I live alone and my time is my own,
But I spend it on wine and blue cheese,
I dither my days and wonder in haze,
Why my words are not making a blaze.
And yet let answer be true,
It is me; it is you.
We whimper we cannot write lines,
For if we do write, there’ll be terrible signs
That our words are not what they could be,
So, we keep them between I and me.
Yes, folks, we don’t write because we don’t trust what is in us to scribble. What if we get criticism? What if no one reads our brilliant muses? What if it really is bad stuff we blog out? What if we just think that we are writers…when the truth is we are not!
What if fear takes a toehold on our inner self and we let it shut up our ideas and our thoughts? What if fear prevents our unpublished thoughts from ever seeing the light of day?
Are you compelled to write like the author of Jude?
“I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 1:3b NIV).
Do you have a faith writing verse? You may share mine if you like.
“My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skilful writer” (Psalm 45:1 NIV).
Still afraid? Then cling, dear friend, cling to these words: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18 NIV).
And stop telling yourself that you have no time. That’s not true and you know it.
Brenda J. Wood is a motivational speaker and author.
http://everydaychristian.com
http://heartfeltdevotionals.com
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