Hi everyone, I have a serious case of writer’s block! It’s been months and I’m wary of writing for fear of writing badly. I criticize every sentence I write. This restlessness started creeping in once I let go of my obsession to write a book. I always wanted to write about Jesus and my faith journey, but constantly thinking about it made me question my motives. Was I motivated by my selfishness to write about myself or was it motivated to share my faith? I couldn’t answer clearly and that’s what made me give it all up.
It made me think that I was telling God that I would write for Him. Buy maybe that’s not His plan for me? I read Following Christ by Charles H. Spurgeon, who was influential preacher and known as the “Prince of Preachers” in England. His writings about following Christ in daily life and obeying Christ put into perspective that I needed to let go of my writing ambitions for a while. I learned that to follow Christ is to follow Him diligently through the small things and not setting an agenda and asking Him to bless it.
But the fear is real. What do you do when you put down the dream? Is it like taking a break before I pursue it again or is it giving up and waiting on God to replace it with something else? Will God give me confirmation to continue or tell me to move on and dream something new? It is an unsettling feeling and I feel lost. But I still pray that God will move in the right time and in the right way and what He wants for me will be revealed. I hope it’ll be revealed to be in a loud voice and big letters, so I won’t miss it. lol. I go through periods of peace and chaos in my heart. But I pray that enduring peace will settle in the messiness of these feelings and I’ll get some clarity.
Below are some quotes from the book that have helped me in this process, and he writes clearly and powerfully!
“Is it not better, if you are going to serve Christ, to ask Him what He would like you to do?” p 2
“If you really want to serve Christ, do not do what you suggest to yourself, but do what He commands you.” p. 4
“It is not wise to plan out the proceedings even of a single day on our own, but to take out direction from Him who is our guide and leader, and to follow Him in all things.” p. 12
“Let us so act in our work that there is never a smudge of a dirty thumb across the page, and nothing of pride, self-seeking, or anger.” p. 19
“There is no person without a talent of some sort or other. There is no one without some form of power either given by nature or acquired by education. We are all quipped in some degree or other, and we must each give an account to God for that talent.” p. 41
“If all Christians came out and boldly declared what the Lord has done for their souls, the world would feel the power of Christianity.” p. 110
As in the story of Jesus feeding a crowd of 5,000 with five loaves and two fish by a boy who offered up his lunch to Jesus, Spurgeon connects that with our meager offerings to Christ:
“Though exalted in glory today, Christ is still grateful when such offerings are made to Him. He still thanks His Father when, with timid, trembling hands, we offer to Him our best, our all, however small. His heart is still made glad when be bring to Him our meager supply that it may be touched by His dear hand and blessed by His gracious lips.” p. 132
10 responses to “Writer’s block, motives, and getting help from Charles Spurgeon”
I’m not really the one to answer this for you, Esther, because I don’t practise my faith nor thinking deeply about what it means to be a Christian. I admire that you do, but choices are rarely crystal clear, are they? Maybe you could keep a faith journal, or is that too much of a halfway house? Just go on being you and loving. You have your hands pretty full with family. Do you teach a bible class, or something like that? I’m a little out of my depth here, but you’re living a good life.
Jo, thank you so much for your wise words and support! I was moved by the last part of your sentence…I do feel like I’m “living a good life,” yet there is that gnawing sense that I want to add more to it. I will keep praying about it and be joyful in my everyday tasks, because that’s a way of worshipping God.
I like your idea of a faith journal and I’ve started many over the years. But I have a very big problem of writing and then filling up the notebook with other things, like making lists & writing lesson plans & doodling) and then I start a new faith journal with the intention of keeping it that and do the same shenanigan all over again. lol
Well, you have a quite demanding family to take care of! Perhaps when your daughter is older 🤗🩷
Esther, just write! Let the Spirit melt away all fear, and just write out of your heart of love and God’s love for you that never fails, and it will all come together. I found the greater the fear, the more you need to let go and let God. Enjoy the journey, messy scribbles and all! 💛🌼🤗
Thank you for your wonderful words of support and encouragement! I do need to quiet the negative voices and have more discipline in my life to pursue it. You’re right about the journey: “messy scribbles and all.”
P.S. NEVER give up. 💛🌼🙏
Thank you! So true. Little steps add up
You will write when your head is clear and the kids are all grown up!
I need to have patience. It’s true I have my plate full. It’s a full time job homeschooling them, yet I want to pursue something of my own too. lol. Thanks, Linda, for your encouragement and wisdom!
You’re welcome Esther. Well, you could start a little while you are on Summer break … how is that? Put aside an hour or a half-hour to yourself every day if possible and then when school resumes, you will already have a foothold. But allow yourself some leniency for family time, etc. … it’s difficult to sequester yourself somewhere to write with activity all around you unless it’s the middle of the night.