True Confession
By Lisa Boyer
“We have spoken freely with you…and
opened our hearts wide to you.”
2 Corinthians 6:11 (NIV)
Two
years ago, I had a moment where I realized I had been struggling as a writer.
The last piece I had finished was started a long time ago, but other than that,
I’d had nothing the previous five months. I saw things I wanted to share, but I
wasn’t able to sit down and write about them - - as though it all disappeared
before I had the chance. As a devotional writer, I didn’t know if it was
writer’s block or God not having anything to say through me at that time, or the
enemy purposely getting in the way of my writing.
As I
look back on that time, I think the real issue was I had been afraid, which is
ironic, because the topic I had wanted to write about before the writer’s block
set in was “fear not.” “Fear not” is found over and over again in the Bible,
both in the Old and New Testaments. Yet, I was afraid. I was afraid to share
what was on my heart - - what God’s had been teaching and showing me. It’s not
that a reader has ever given me a reason to be afraid; I just had been afraid.
As I
look back, it wasn’t that I found a way out of all fear or around it. Instead, I
had to choose to write in the middle of it. I had to choose to set the fear
aside as best as I could and trust God to do the rest. I’m not sure how God
plans to use my past confession in the lives of you, the readers, today…but He
knows. Or maybe getting back to writing then was a necessary “getting back on
the horse” to get over my fear (which may also remind you that those in
ministry need your prayers).
But
perhaps it’s not just me and what I learned. Perhaps I’m not the only one who
has been afraid to do what God has put on their heart to do. Perhaps you
understand what I went through because you are suffering or have suffered from
your own kind of “writer’s block.” Perhaps you too are or were afraid. Even
today, I don’t have a lot of answers, but one thing I know: We, the children of
God, are to “fear not.” Sometimes, fear is just an opportunity to step out in
faith!
GOING
DEEPER:
1. Are
you struggling with your own “writer’s block” that prevents you from using the
gifts God has given you to bring glory to Him? After spending time in prayer,
will you step out in faith and “fear not”?
2. As
you read this, did God bring to your mind someone who is struggling? Will you
take the time to pray for them?
FURTHER
READING:
Lisa has been married to Ted for 24 years and they have two sons
in college. Lisa serves in Quest 56 on Sunday mornings at Oakwood.
