How much are you willing to abandon?
How much of what you do is chosen with self interest in mind?
Where do you put your energies, money and time?
What makes your gut twist into a knot and a lump form in your throat?
When are you going to do something?
There are two current movies, The Blind Side and Extraordinary Measures (debuting January 22nd) based on true stories, which have generated these questions in my mind.
I haven’t seen either of the movies, only their trailers. They are movies that bear witness to the impact we can have when we do something instead of uttering purposeless words implying that someone out there ought to be doing something.
As I look at the questions I have posed and apply them to myself they become a challenge to me as a writer. I must put aside my self interests, abandon myself to the story, put my energies, money, or lack of it, and time into writing stories that will impact lives. Anything less than that is dishonorable to God.
If my life is tangled with obligations, meetings, and activities I will miss the moments set before me, moments that may transform another person’s life and my own.
I’m at a loss to describe the ache inside me to become a person who can bring hope to another lost human being.
What do these questions mean to you?
Image: MorgueFile
12 comments:
I believe that ache you describe is the call of the Holy Spirit. You will touch lives through your writing. I'm praying for God to bless your words, that they'll go out and accomplish just what He determines.
I pray that God uses me wherever I go, every day. I know it's beyond my power... it's all Him.
I believe you will--and are--touching many lives!
Very poignant questions. I think we all struggle with the balance of this.
I used to think my writing was under the selfish category. But recently I've come to see it's ability touch another soul with my own.
It really makes me reflect on my children. I need to hone my mothering skills. I love how I shoot for perfection, I think they benefit from my desire to be a better mom.
Diane, they're such crucial questions. And we have to tear them apart, looking at all the layers, don't we?
Thanks for asking. I need to really do some considering.
Dena, thank you for your prayers.
Kristen, Since you are so open for God to use you each day He will. He is always looking for willing servants.
Catherine,funny how the things that we find most fulfilling can make us feel guilty about doing them. It is God calling us to that perfect place.
T. Anne,I love that you put your children as such a high priority, they are with us for such a short period of time and they desperately need us to guide them, even when they try to push us away saying, "I can do it myself." Sounds like us talking to God doesn't it.
Janna,You are right about tearing the questions apart and looking at all the layers.
They pose a great base to build New Years Resolutions from. Great character builders for sure.
Good questions to ponder...
Blessings to you today...
excellent questions! The reasons I like to write. I did see the Blind Side and it moved me deeply. Our writing should make a difference in someone's life--I hope so anyways!
I think when we sacrifice for others, we become our better selves. God is pleased. Some of us do give, others have fallen into the treadmill of life and have forgotten what's important. My hat's off to all those who sacrifice and may I be sensitive enough to His voice to know when and where He wants me to give.
Thoughtful post, Diane
You've put some very thought provoking questions out there my friend. I suppose when we deny that 'ache' we are quenching the Holy Spirit. When we look the other way instead of embracing God's purposes for our lives we are actually sinning against His holy will for us. That in itself causes an ache - if we allow it to. I think sometimes we (or at least I) come to a point where 'ugly' things around us somehow become less real to us... sort of like the cartoon characters that die and are alive again in the next scene.... the ugly things around us become less the reality they are and more like cartoons, something someone else just dreamed up, something we can't do anything about anyways. That's when we know our conscience has been calloused over.... that's when repentance is not only appropriate, but absolutely necessary.
Thank you for prompting that 'ache' in all your readers! ILY!
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