Monday, February 6, 2012

Writing Through Emotional Pain


Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Life happens. And sometimes it happens painfully. Professional writers must write even when their hearts are broken, and life is delivering its most powerful punches. 

I’ve lost two dear friends within a few months of one another and have another devastating situation in my family right now. Crying myself to sleep, navigating my days in a vice-like fog and swallowing a constant lump in my throat—these physical reactions to emotional pain challenge my ability, nay, my desire to write. But write I must, because, you see, I’m a writer. And that’s what we do. And the publishing world doesn’t care that I have issues. The publishing world will go right along publishing without me. 

The only way we can write through hard days is to keep our focus. And frankly, the only way we can survive through hard days is to keep our focus. The focus isn’t on the writing. The focus for the Christian writer is on Him.

Psalm 22:5 says, They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed (NIV). 

In Kay Arthur’s book, As Silver Refined: Answers to Life's Disappointments, she writes about how life’s disappointments are really His Appointments. By changing just one letter in the word, we have a whole new perspective because the focus is on Him. 

We can trust Him, even when things don’t make sense.

We can trust Him to give us the words to write even when we’re so broken we can barely move our pen over the page, or our fingers across the keyboard.

We can cry unto God, and not be disappointed.

We will be appointed.

We will write.

"Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later"
(Revelation 1:19, NIV).


 Karla Akins is a pastor's wife, mother of five, grandma to five beautiful little girls and author of O Canada! Her Story. She lives in North Manchester with her husband, twin teenage boys with autism, and three silly dogs. Her favorite color is purple, favorite hobby is book-hoarding, and favorite food group is cupcakes.



12 comments:

  1. It's hard to write through the rough patches in life. God has led my writing through many of those rough patches.

    Great post.

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    1. Thanks for reading, Loree. God is faithful, isn't He?

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  2. Wow, Karla! I love this. You're my hero! Aloha! --Cheryl

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  3. Karla, what a beautiful post. I'm praying for you today.

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    1. Thanks for reading, Melanie! And thanks so much for the prayers!

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  4. Karla,

    Thanks for this great post. May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you.

    Jeff

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  5. Thanks for reading, Jeff! Blessing right back at ya!

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