“Training the Inward Eye”
Dear writer, if you’ve been following us for the past few months, you should be getting positioned to start strong on your book. But if you’re looking for ways to get your creative juices flowing, this week we’re focusing on inspiration. Sometimes, inspiration simply strikes us. But we can feed our inspiration, too. Before we dive in, lets’ take a look at why the inspiration process is an important part of our writing journey.
Inspiration in History
Albert Einstein is a good example of a man who understood the power of inspiration. When he was only 15 years old, he wrote to his father that the strict rote learning of the school he attended was harmful to creativity. While his life’s work was in mathematics, his interest in music and philosophy enabled him to approach mathematics with a perspective and imagination that led to his world renowned discoveries.
Inspiration in the Bible
David was a great example of inspiration in the Bible. His close walk with the Lord was fueled by his ability to see God in all circumstances. In nature, in the movement of men, even in the appointment of King Saul when he was trying to kill him. David recognized God’s hand at work in having appointed Saul as king and refused to “touch the Lord’s anointed.” David’s inspiration was directly linked to his fear of the Lord and positioned him to be the man after God’s heart that we all have come to know and love.
Here is the interesting thing, writer. Inspiration is often about heart posture. When we have soft hearts—hearts seeking God—we can be inspired by almost anything because we can see God at work in everything. Let’s continue.
Inspiration in Life
My own inspiration for my work came first when I saw a movie that so pierced my heart with the truth that I knew I needed to make more stories with the same powerful heart-piercing effect. And as I wrote, I was amazed by the relationships and experiences that inspired, fueled, and breathed life into my work. And this was the interesting part. My love of truth and of relationships led me to write fantasy in a way that captures every man’s heart. Not just fantasy readers. Because here’s the thing. My inspiration drew me in to a deeper place with God as I wrote the book, and I saw where God was at work in my own story in a whole new way.
And here’s the beautiful thing about inspiration, writer. Whether it comes from nature, from Gods’ word, or from life experiences, all true moments of inspiration will draw us deeper into the heart of God. Because inspiration is about the pursuit of beauty, goodness and truth. Einstein sought to express the beauty of life’s design in mathematical equations. David tried to demonstrate the grandeur of God in words and through his actions. My own work was an attempt to articulate the beauty and powerful truth of relationship in story form.
Inspiration in Your Life
Here’s the thing, writer. Not every moment of inspiration will be earth shattering. Inspiration is more about the depth of our conviction than the height of our emotion. Because here’s the thing—true inspiration will move us to share, in various ways, the glory of God and to declare His greatness. And true inspiration is something we can seek, because God—the source of all inspiration—promises that when we seek Him with our whole heart, He will be found by us. Let’s take a look.
- When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet… – Psalm 8:3-6
- The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard… 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. – Psalm 19:1-3, 7-8
- One generation will declare Your works to the next and will proclaim Your mighty acts. I will speak of Your splendor and glorious majesty and Your wonderful works. They will proclaim the power of Your awe-inspiring acts, and I will declare Your greatness. They will give a testimony of Your great goodness and will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. – Psalm 145:4-7
Do you see that, writer? I mentioned inspiration is simply the act of breathing. Inspiration is simply that act of drawing air into the lungs…of breathing into anything. It is the infusion of ideas into the mind by the Holy Spirit. Or other sources. Because here’s the thing…
We will be inspirited by something. Even if it’s our own ambitions. But when we intentionally breathe in God’s goodness and recognize His movement around us, we more naturally allow His life to flow through us and our words. Because everything we take in will come out.
Where to Start with Inspiration
So where do we begin? Here are a few places to start.
- Gratitude. There is nothing like gratitude to open our eyes to the beauty and movement of God all around us and to sensitize our hearts to what’s He’s speaking to us. I encourage you, especially if you find gratitude challenging, to begin a daily journal and simply write five thing s you are grateful for every day. And make a point to say thank you—out loud—to God and other people every chance you get.
- Pursue goodness, beauty, and truth. Spend time enjoying art, books, music, and moments in nature that fuel your wonder and creativity.
- Study scripture and pray. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, spending time getting to know the heart of the Father through intentional study and prayer will enrich you writing and your life in every way. I encourage you to approach your study time not as a purely academic exercise, but as a chance to encounter God and to grow to understand Him better and walk with Him in relationship m ore closely. By understating who He is better. Take some time every now and then simply to sit with Him and listen or to “Think” together.
- Be present wherever you are. Especially with people. There is a great wealth of inspiration to be drawn from intentionally spending time with others. Sometimes, we just need to ask for eyes to see, and as we look for His movement in the lives of others, it will be amazing what wonder, creativity and ideas are sparked and what richness will be brought to your life and words.
- Practice Sabbath. Sometimes our inspiration dries up, simply because…we’re dried up. We’ve completely over extended ourselves and have nothing left. Taking time each week to pause and break from the daily hustle, is one of the most powerful ways to regain refreshment and perspective and reconnect to our heart and to God’s!
Here’s the final thing, writer. Inspiration is all about discovering where God is and who God is and how He’s designed things…and then sharing that with others. This is the sum total of why we were created. To enjoy and glorify Him forever. And it’s why even unbelievers can display God’s glory. Because when they recognize and share part of God’s heart—though they may not know Him personally—they are still advancing His glory.
And here’s the interesting thing. The opposite of inspiration is simple rote work. It’s getting things done simply to get them done. It’s like holding your breath…and can leave you feeling a little suffocated. And while there is definitely a place to simply get a thing done, when we stop to see where God’s at work and breathe in and out His goodness, beauty, and truth for ourselves, our work will take on a whole new level of depth. And our lives will be infused with a whole new kind of life.
Because in the end, inspiration comes from learning to practice the presences of God at all times and places. When we do that, we find strength and joy in every place and stage of life. And as we begin knowing God that way…His eternal life begins to invade earth.
So, I encourage you, today. Take time for inspiration. Take time to seek beauty, goodness, and truth and the One from whom they come. Ad you do, you will be positioning yourself—like Einstein, like David, like so many others who’ve gone before—to be a vessel for His glory to flow through.
#glory #inspiration #gratitude #God
