Ten Things God Never Says To Writers

Even if you don’t call your Higher Power God, you probably have a sense that writing is a spiritual practice. What comes to us whether we’re creating a short story, writing a script, putting together a non-fiction article or working on a novel does so from someplace beyond ourselves. My inner knowing says that’s God.

In this week’s podcast (“Taming Your BOHO”), we talked about that voice in your head that tells you lies which keep you from dreaming and creating. They guard the Why Bother? Blockade. For those with a deep sense of the Divine, the things the BOHO hisses, snarls or croons in that condescending, this-is-for-your-own-good voice can sometimes be misconstrued as coming from the Almighty.

But I gotta tell ya, that’s just not so. Seriously, do we really think God says any of the following?  

1. I’ve given you a gift, but don’t count on it taking you anywhere. That’s up to the world. (Really? Um, what about “not as the world gives you do I give to you?”)

2. You must beat yourself up when you don’t get it right the first, second or third time. Or fourth. (Yeah, gross misinterpretation of “Be ye therefore perfect as your heaven Father is perfect.” Big time.)

3. Compare the gift I’ve given you to the gift I’ve given other people. If you come up short, give it up. (I’ve got a life-sized picture of Jesus saying, “John, why don’t you have big muscles like Peter? And Peter, I’d love you more if you weren’t so stubborn. Be more like John.” Uh-huh …)

4. If your work is rejected, that must mean I was wrong when I called you to this. Go figure. (When exactly was the last time God made a mistake?)

5. I’ve given you a book to write. Do it and get back to me when you’re done. (So, what happened to, “I will be with you always?”)

6. Success as a writer totally depends on how much money you make. I like rich people the best. (There is so much wrong with that, I can’t even go there.)

7. If you love what you do, you’re being selfish. (I’m thinking that comes from that whole “deny yourself” thing, which actually means, “deny your false self.” Your true self is in what you love.) 

8. I put deadlines on gifts. If you haven’t made it with yours by age 25, it’s too late. Time’s up. (Wait. Is this the same God who was so patient with the Israelites wandering around or 40 years? That God?) 

9. If you really want to reach people with my message, you’re wasting your time telling stories. (I can’t stop laughing at this one. How many parables are there in the New Testament? Like, 43?)

10. Be afraid. Be very afraid.  (I’ve heard it said, and I believe it, that some variation on “fear not” is found 365 times in the Bible. Huh.)

Yeah, so not only should we not blame God when false voices trip us and send us sprawling away from our God-given writing dreams – we would do well to listen to what God is saying in that still, small voice that speaks only of love.

It might be kind of cool to think of 10 statements that expose the above for the lies they are. 

Such as … I’ve given you a gift. I’ll show you how to use it. Every step of the way.

Want to give it a shot, Scribblies?

In the meantime, Scribble On!

Nancy Rue