Christian writers are people chosen by God to communicate His heart to His people.
2 Timothy 3:16 says that all Scripture is inspired by God. For Christian writers, God is our lifeline for divine wisdom and revelation. He trusts us to seek Him whenever we put pen to paper (or cursor to Word doc) and to write what he instructs.
Even for the most powerful writer, it can be difficult to remain God-centered during designated times of writing. Careers, families, chores, and our lives call out for priority constantly. That is why the purpose of this article is to help Christian authors remain aligned with the heartbeat of heaven: God’s heart.
4 Ways to Invite God into the Writing Process
God is always speaking and if we take the time to listen, we can hear what He is saying. Whether that be through audible words from the Holy Spirit or gentle nudges to go in a certain direction, Christian writers are expected to pay attention to these experiences and turn them into written words to be accepted by others. There are several ways to ensure that God is invited into every part of the writing process, but for now, let’s discuss four.
Praying
I’ve heard it said that “prayer is always in order,” and there’s no better time to seek God than when choosing to write to and for Christian audiences. Beginning any time of writing in this way helps us focus our minds on what matters — understanding what God wants to say. Intentional prayer is our attempt to still the world around us and commune with that part of us that connects with Him. And God isn’t looking for long-winded, fanciful prayers. It’s okay to simply acknowledge that every word we write comes from God and is inspired by Him. We can also make declarations over what we expect the outcome of our writing session to be.
Journaling
I attended several writing camps as a girl. In different locations, while focused on developing different writing skills, each camp instructor understood the importance of writing sprints.
Journaling, specifically to God, reminds me of those writing sprints. This activity can serve as a way to get more in tune with Him while knocking those creative screws in the brain loose. Set a timer for seven-to-ten minutes and let the unadulterated words flow.
Listening to Music
I’ll admit that I never thought God could inhabit “soaking” worship music — that is, until I tried it for myself. Some of my most productive writing sessions have been while I sat listening to soaking music and working. Music that glorifies God invites Him wherever we are when we play it, even while we write.
“Bringing to Your Remembrance” (John 14:26)
The mind is quite an organ. Many Scriptures discuss how powerful our thoughts are. Therefore, a few moments of intentional, grateful reflection can open our minds to more divine revelation. We can think about what God has done for us, and how He wants to use us in this specific area through book writing. We can start the writing session with a renewed sense of purpose. This method can be combined with one of the other methods mentioned above or one of your own.
I’m sure you’ll eventually want to start writing, so don’t plan to spend a lot of time on your warm up. While it’s important to stretch, much like a runner before a leg workout, you don’t want to stay there. I’d recommend doing one or two exercises at any designated writing time, but no more. Once you’ve connected with God, let your words flow!
Featured photo by Amaury Gutierrez on Unsplash