Tonight, thought I'm tired and ready to quit writing forever I feel like I learned something from one of my characters, Rik. In this scene he is encouraging Alice, the protagonist, while she is struggling with surrendering all of her life to Christ - especially the hard parts.
“It is a lot to ask.” He leaned back, staring at his hands, which were laced together in front of him. “Christ requires all of you, not just part. Remember, you can’t do it - not on your own, at least - but He is there to help you. Through His Spirit you can do it. ”Maybe it's silly learning something from your own words, or maybe it's just God's way of teaching me? Either way, I know that I was encouraged to remember the Holy Spirit is alive and active in our lives if they are surrendered to Christ. Just like Alice, I can't do it on my own. I can't write a book, I can't edit it, I can't get published. I can't even try and make the book better. What I can do is submit it to the Lord and remember that all my work is unto Him and for His glory.
That, to me, is a very comforting thought and a definite boost in my perseverance.
Do you ever feel this way, like I have tonight? Like things are too hard, life is too difficult, or the tasks before you require more than you have to give?
Do you turn to the Lord for comfort? To His Scripture? To His Spirit?
I'm with you, sister! And, yes, my characters tend to teach me quite a lot. With every book, there seems to be something God has for me to learn right along with my characters. Sometimes, it's not an easy lesson.
ReplyDeleteHere's a quote I ran across last night while reading: "I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much." -Mother Teresa
I had to chuckle, thinking: "God, sometimes You push me way too close to the all I can handle."
We press on toward the mark, learning all the way.
Amen Paula - and what a great quote! It's a blessing to be tested but it's also tough. I'm thankful that He puts people in our lives to encourage us as well :)
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