To the writers who are tired. Tired of writing. Tired of not writing. Tired of rewriting words that lack emotion and heart. Tired of staring at blank laptop screens and empty notebooks. Tired of not having time to write. Tired of having too much time and not enough inspiration. Tired of second-guessing yourself. Tired of feeling less-than, incapable, unworthy.
I’ve been there. We’ve all been there. My best advice is to take a nap…
And give it to God. Hand Him your worries, your cares, and your inadequacies. Tell Him of your struggles and bad habits and procrastination problems. Ask Him to fuel you and inspire you in the way only He can.
I’m praying for you, because I’m in the same place right now.
Lord, I lift up the tired writers like me. The ones with no time or no inspiration...or none of both! The ones who have put so much effort into what sometimes looks, feels, and reads like absolutely nothing.
You know their worth, Lord. You know how infinitely precious their words are, how important all these trials are to mold and shape us into better writers. I ask that You would fill them with peace that surpasses all understanding, to help them step back and see just how far they’ve come. Give them rest in this moment, then renew their joy and energy for the days to come! Shine Your light upon the world around them to reveal the inspiration You’ve given us, and pour new ideas and fresh revelation into their minds, Father.
Thank you for it, in Jesus’s Name.
To the writers who are lost. Lost in the sea of self-doubt, lost in words and stories that don’t make sense, lost in themes and messages that can’t coexist. Lost and utterly uncertain about why they write. Lost in the world around them, in busyness and other projects, in the mundane routine of life. Lost in a world that won’t accept them as Christians and in a culture that reviles God-honoring fiction.
It hurts to be lost, probably more so than anything else, because without direction, without purpose, everything seems so worthless. And maybe it is.
Or maybe there is a purpose beyond what you can see. I believe there is, and I’m praying that God will reveal it to you, just as He has to me.
Lord, there are so many writers - so many young Christian writers - that are lost. They don’t know who they are. They don’t know why they write. They doubt their calling and their meaning, and You and I both know that’s not right. So I bring them to Your throne, Heavenly Father, and ask that You open their eyes to see Your divine will and purpose for their writing. Open their minds to the ideas and great works You have for them. Open their hearts to love and enjoy writing as much as You do.
Fill them with Your Holy Spirit, lead them onto the path You would have them go, and give them joy for the journey! Bring people into their lives who encourage them, support them, and, yes, even fangirl (or fanboy) over their characters! Use those influences to show these writers how impactful their writing is!
I know You can do it, God, because You did it for me, so I thank You on their behalf.
To the writers who are broken. Beat down after dozens of rejections. Discouraged by friends and family. Depressed by today’s culture and what the secular world thinks is “good fiction.” Broken by harsh words, negative reviews, and unjust criticisms.
Y’all...this is the place every writer never wants to be in, and yet somehow, brokenness seeks us out. There seems to always been something - or someone - that pushes too far, hurts too much, or is just plain wrong. I know how it feels to read a review or critique that makes you want to poke the person’s eyes out (okay, maybe not that violent...but you get my point). I know how it feels to be so persecuted by people who don’t even know you - people that spite writing that is wholesome and God-honoring.
Maybe you’ve been broken because of one of these things...or maybe for an entirely different reason. This prayer is for you.
God, You are the Great Physician, and what we often don’t realize is that doesn’t mean You have the power to heal only bodies, it means You have the power over the mind and heart too. Pour Your healing spirit out over these writers. Renew their hearts and minds. Remind them of how valuable and beautiful they are to You, how important Your calling on their lives is. Overwhelm them with Your love and overcome all the doubts and depression, until all that remains is the beauty You have ordained in their words and their lives.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your healing power and Your amazing grace in our lives!
To the writers who are scared. Scared of writing. Scared of not writing. Scared of writing things that aren’t “politically correct.” Scared of writing things that are too “radically Christian.” Scared of trying new ideas and genres. Scared of sharing their writing. Scared of...well, there are so many fears, and I know we’ve all had at least one of them.
But I’m here to tell you that perfect love casts out all fear.
So, God, fill these writers with love! Love for You, Who has given them this amazing gift and passion. Love for other people, who will be blessed and inspired by their stories. Love for their writing, which is a powerful tool that You’ve already equipped them to use. They have no reason to be afraid of what You’ve already prepared them for.
Empower them to go out into the world and share the stories You’ve given them. Encourage them to be bold and honest about who they are, why they write, and Who they write for. Support them and continually renew their strength when naysayers knock them down and criticism them for expressing their beliefs.
There is nothing more powerful than words on fire, and I thank You for raising up writers who know how to bring their fire - Your fire - to stories, articles, novels, plays, poems, and more!
To the writers who read this. These prayers are for you. Know that you're not alone - there are other writers out there enduring the same struggles - and know that, above all, God is with you. God is invested in your work. God delights in your work. And God will fulfill you and sustain you in every way, as you continue to follow His will and seek Him first in all you do. Remember that He is Lord of all - including your writing - and that He can and will guide you in everything you need to do.
With love and blessings always,
Grace
Romans 1:16
Absolutely gorgeous, Grace. Thank you so much for writing it. 💙
Wow!!! Love it!!! So true! We've all been in one or all of those spots at some point or another (or will be eventually) it's part of writing. It's also a great reminder for when we think we're alone to pray for our fellow writers stuck in the same situation.
Thanks so much for sharing!
This is BEAUTIFUL!!
Awww, I LOVE that, Gracie!!! It was very sweet and you could just tell it came straight from your heart. <333 Beautiful!!!!!!! I just know this will inspire someone out there to renew their passion for writing for Jesus, and in case they never come over here to thank you, I feel like I should for them. So THANK YOU for sharing!!!!! <333