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.
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.
ReplyDeletePraying 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.
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!
ReplyDeleteThank 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!
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