“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’ Isaiah 45:9 NLT
Her fingers quiver as she types the web address. One more writing contest, the winner will be announced today. She gulps in a deep breath, whispers a quick prayer and hits enter.
It’s not there.
Once more, her name is not there.
“Lord, I thought this would be it. I don’t understand. Why did you put this dream in my heart if you are never going to fulfill it? Am I wasting my time? Maybe my dad was right when he said I was “lazy.” I’ll never get it right. God where do I go from here?”
Writing is fraught with rejection, isn’t it? If ever there was a career that batters us like a flag in a 50 mile and hour wind, writing is it! But while we are waving about with the wind in the sky, let us not forget our visibility. Writing puts us in a position to be a symbol of freedom through Christ to those around us.
Perhaps the key in surviving the tumultuous winds of rejection lies in our expectations. Determination and drive often lead us to expectations centered around some type of goal. The goal could be to get published, to increase blog followers, to receive so many page views per day, etc. Goals and expectations are important to our success, but we must be careful not to turn them into our God.
Great expectations are flexible expectations.
Sorrow. Raw expectations untested against the will of God can not only lead to frustration, but deep soul drowning sorrow.
The passion that God has given you to write is a gift. A special design that only his gentle hands could fashion. He is the creator.
Clumsy? He is not.
We may fumble about for decades in the darkness, lumps of clay rolling around looking for hands that will obey our selfish commands. And what do we come out with? Lumpy writing.
When a lump tries to write, it does the best it can. But it can never become a beautiful piece of art without the hands of the potter.
Dear Lord Jesus,
I desire to serve you through my writing. Get all up and messy in my word documents, making me crazy with the ebb and flow of your presence. Interrupt my best of intentions and expectations and fashion them to fit in your hands. Help me to be a writer who is constantly interrupted by you sweet Jesus.
Amen
