“The Grace to Embrace Your Season”
Dear Writer, I hope you enjoyed last week’s opportunity to explore how to love your readers through your words and work! This week, we’re going to look at the final piece you need to begin writing: knowing your timing. So many things in life boil down to timing. Knowing yours will help you to embrace your writing in a way that suits you and suits your season so that you can continue to grow in your writing journey. But before we jump in, let’s look some examples of the impact timing has on our lives.
Knowing Timing in History
Rees Howells is a great example of a man who knew his timing because of his close walk with the Lord. Called to be an intercessor, in his early years, the Lord taught Rees to intercede for the lost through many unconventional acts that helped him identify with those for whom he prayed. Later, as Rees married, God shifted him into a season of ministry overseas to practice intercession in a whole new way. While his daily activities looked more “normal,” the Lord showed Rees that to be fruitful in this new season, he would need to leave young son in Wales to be brought up while he and his wife ministered in Africa. When Rees’ time in Africa was over, God instructed him to return to Wales and build university—a task unlike anything Rees had done in the past. But Rees’ obedience positioned him to lead a body of students to intercede powerfully for God’s will during WWII. In each phase of life, Rees was a powerful intercessor, but that intercession took on a very different shape in every season, according to the Lord’s leading and wisdom.
In the same way, writer, your writing will take on different flavors and expressions in different seasons. Let’s continue…
Knowing Timing in the Bible
Esther is another great example of someone who knew and followed the Lord’s timing. From the moment King Xerxes chose her, Esther was queen. At first, she simply lived in King Xerxes court, establishing her relationship with him and responding to her new royal husband and his rulings and commands. Then when it was time, she boldly approached the King and with wisdom prepared a space to speak to Xerxes on behalf of her people to rescue them from Haman’s wicked plans of extermination. When King Xerxes granted her petition, it launched her into a season of writing laws and decrees with Mordecai for the benefit of her people. Through all this, she was operating as a queen. But what she did in that role looked different according to each season’s needs.
Knowing Timing in Life
For me, knowing timing as a writer has been a growing skill and learning to recognize those moments when the season shifts has been key! My first season began by simply writing short stories and scripts and brief fairy tales. All I knew then was that I had to be doing a little something every week to move toward my goal of writing a “real” story. When God called me to write my books, I wrote every day during National Novel Writing Month. At the end of the month, I was far from the end of my story and began writing from 2:30-5pm. Around the time I completed book one, God called me to serve in Bible Study Fellowship, and for a time I wrote all day on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays to give space for service and meetings on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Today, the only writing I am doing is my two blog posts “A Good Word” and “Radical Simplicity” on Friday mornings and evenings as I record the audio book version of my first novel.
To navigate through each of these seasons, I had to recognize the moment of transition and adjust my writing habits accordingly. Sometimes it was challenging, as I tried to force my way forward based on what had worked in the past. But here’s the thing, writer. We grow and change, and sometimes the way we write grows and changes, too. And more and more, I’ve seen that recognizing what God is doing in our lives and allowing him to define our boundary lines is key.
And here’s the interesting thing. In each season, there have been some key habits the Lord has revealed to help that writing process. During my first novel, it was a cup of coffee a day when I sat down to write—though Id’ never been a coffee drinker. In another season, it was to pray in the Spirit for 15 minutes every morning for my wring before starting my workday. In another season, it was to begin using a consistent outline for my “A Good Word” blog posts. Each step was suited to its season. But here’s the thing. The way I learned recognize that timing and identify those habits was—like Rees and Esther—by looking to God’s for His direction and leading.
Knowing Timing in Your Life
Here’s the beautiful thing, writer. Though sometimes identifying our season can seem messy and nebulous, we have a Good Shepherd who’s promised to lead us and a King who has prepared good works for us to do in advance. Let’s take a look…
- The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. – Psalm 23
- For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:10
- If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. – James 1:5
- The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. – Isaiah 58:11
Isn’t that beautiful, writer? We’re not left to figure this “writing” thing out on our own! Our King has prepared our works in advance and promises to give wisdom to all who ask. And when we follow His lead, He will show us what fruitfulness looks like in each season.
Where to Start with Knowing Timing
So where do you begin as you seek His guidance and timing for your season? Here are a few things that have helped me.
- Prayerfully identify this season’s priorities. I find that it’s good at least once a year, or any time I sense the season shifting, to check in with the Lord and ask Him what tasks, relationships, and activities are top priority for this season. Once I know what those are, it’s easier to build life around them.
- Prayerfully identify this season’s key habits. I’ve noticed that in each season, the Lord tends to provide a handful of key habits to establish that are critical for fruitfulness. It has been anything from fifteen minutes of prayer in the Spirit every day, to getting seven hours of sleep each night, to cultivating a habit of gratitude… Whatever He identifies, it’s amazing how obedience in these areas paves the way for the work we are to do.
- Seek godly counsel. Sometimes when the season shifts, and we feel stuck in last season’s habits and patterns, it’s also good to seek Godly, prayerful counsel of trusted advisors in our lives. God has gotten me “unstuck” more than once through the loving input of my husband, prayer partners, or pastor. Be sure that, in every season, you are walking in relationship and sharing your writing journey with those He’s given to walk with you.
- Be open to different. Sometimes a new seasons will stretch you in ways you never imagined and have you writing at times and places and in ways or about subjects you never would have conceived. Be prepared to embrace the unconventional. Often God moves in unexpected ways, but all His paths ultimately bring peace and freedom and fruitfulness when we embrace them.
- Keep His priorities and habits before your eyes. Once we do know this season’s priorities and habits, it’s important to keep these in front of our eyes. It is amazing how easily we can be distracted. But writing our priorities and habits down and praying over them regularly will help keep us anchored and fruitful.
And finally, writer, remember that it’s a journey. There will be moments when things seem clear and easy and flowing with the Lord will be simple. And there will be times when the path gets hard and following His timing seems difficult. Let me encourage you today—difficulty does not always mean you are on the wrong path! Remember verse four from Psalm 23…
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
In those moments of challenge, I encourage you! Cling to the last instruction God gave you and move trustingly forward. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:4) Did you notice, writer, this verse is the context in which the Lord exhorts us to ask Him for wisdom in James 1:5? Do you know why? Because…
It’s often in these times of challenge when our most important work is taking place. Like when Esther approached the King. Or when Rees walked out God unconventional and difficult calls on his life, family, and ministry. But imagine if they hadn’t? The outcome of WWII may have been very different…we would likely not have had a book of Esther in our Bible…and there would have never been an Experience Writing Conference. But by the grace and goodness of God, all these things took place—because people were sensitive and submitted to the Lord’s leading. And you can be, too, writer.
I encourage you, today; this kind of life is not for super saints. Our generous heavenly Father has promised that whoever asks will receive, whoever seeks will find, and to whomever knocks the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7) He’s promised that when we seek Him with our whole heart we will find Him. (Jeremiah 29:13) He’s not a God who asks us to seek Him in vain. (Isaiah 45:19)
So, if you are wondering about timing in your life, I challenge you to set aside some time, maybe a meal time or a day, simply to ask, seek, and listen and to grow in your relationship with Him. And then grow to maintain that connection daily as you being to act on whatever He shows you. As you do, you will be amazed to see how delighted He is to reveal His path and to impart His strength when the going gets tough. And whatever difficulty we encounter, walking in the Lord’s timing is worth the journey. We will never fully comprehend the lives He touches through us as we do.
#seasons #trust #HolySpirit #EveryWriterWriting
