November 18, 2017

From the Heart - Gloria Guest


It’s difficult for me to say just how prayer has affected my writing life. I can however see that my writing has definitely affected my prayer life. Prayers like;

 “Dear God, I don’t think I can handle staring at this empty page for much longer.”

“God, is there a reason you gave me this desire to write?”

 “God, when will I ever get paid again for my writing?”

And some positive prayers;

“Dear God, please let this minister to someone today.”

“Thank you God for those encouraging words from that (reader, fellow inscribe member, editor, friend, family member).”

These prayers and many more go through my heart and mind anytime I sit down to write. It’s obvious that  I’m not a ‘prayer warrior’ when it comes to my writing. I won’t deny the benefit of that, but for me personally, I prefer to approach God just right where I’m at for the most part. I try to speak from my heart throughout the day to Him, as I would anyone who spends the day with me. Being as I’m not a prolific, successful writer perhaps I need to give my method of prayer when it comes to my writing, another look. I’ve read some wonderful blogs on the subject this month, with some great suggestions.

I have always related to the Psalms. I find them ‘in the moment’, pertinent to what David was experiencing at the time. I relate to his many emergency type prayers and yes, even his prayers of anger when he calls down God’s retribution on his enemies. He is simply being real. And then he often moved into beautiful prayers of repentance and worship such as “Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalms 51:10). I can recall a time in my life that, although a Christian, I wasn’t very aware of my constant sin; of just how many times a day I sinned in my thought life or even actions and words. After a lot of growth and introspection I now admit that I sin many times a day, often before I even get out of bed! As the saying goes. So I relate to David’s many heartfelt expressed psalms of repentance and have prayer them over myself. It’s not because David was perfect or even the most spiritual man around that he was called “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam 13:14). It was, I believe, because he prayed from the heart.

One suggestion this month from Sharon Espeseth ,that I’ve decided to try, suggested we write our own writer’s prayer. Here is my own version of a writer’s prayer.

A Writer’s Prayer

Let my writing reflect Your truth God, and not my own,

Let it be honest and sincere, not full of religious superiority or false humility,

Help me to be real and open regardless of others approval or disapproval,

And may I always seek to know You better so that in my writing

You will increase but I will decrease.

And help me dear God, to always write,

Straight from the heart.

3 comments:

  1. Thank you, Gloria. I agree with what you are saying. We each have our own ways of talking to God, and that's really what prayers is. How wonderful it is to hear--and learn--from each other in regard to prayer. We can learn to pray like the Psalmist, with honesty, humility and love.

    Praying can be extemporaneous or prepared. God welcomes our thoughts, praise, thanksgiving, and songs that are felt from the heart. The quote, "He who sings prays twice," may be wrongly attributed to St. Francis. Still, psalms and hymns and spiritual songs that come to mind during the day can be true prayers. I love your personal writer's prayer.

    I am so thankful that when we pray we have a direct line to God and not an answering machine.

    ReplyDelete
  2. David is such a wonderful example for exactly the reasons you said. he is 'real' and talks to God through every facet of his life. I absolutely love your writer's prayer, too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for being so real and honest Gloria. Yes, being in the moment is a precious place to be with God. I'm not a prolific writer either but Gloria, I think we are "successful" if readers appreciate our writing in whatever form. Please keep writing, if only for me. I need your reality!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to join in the conversation. Our writers appreciate receiving your feedback on posts you have found helpful or meaningful in some way.