Writing Into Silence

 My love for writing began at an early age. Other than playing in the NFL, the only other thing I ever wanted to do as a child was to write. Long before the days of computers, I actually asked for a typewriter one Christmas. I guess I was around twelve back then. I am sure that seems odd to most people. It has always felt as natural to me as breathing. I long ago traded in that typewriter for computers. 

When other classmates used to groan and complain under creative writing assignments, I thrived and scratched the thoughts in my head ferociously onto paper. I cannot tell you where it originated other than to point to God. Even before He ever saved me, He placed a passion in me to write. 

Writing is unlike other art forms. A person can sing on a stage and they are met with applause if the performance warrants such a response. An orator can receive a standing ovation after a great speech. A chef may receive compliments from patrons. That is not so with writing. I write into silence. It's just me and this computer in my office. I can hear the noise of the fan blowing to my left. Occasionally I can hear traffic passing on the highway behind my office. It is silent here. There are no other voices. No music blaring. No one calling. Just the faint clicks of my fingers striking the key board. 

It is in the bliss of silence that the creative juices start flowing. I actually read the title for this blog in the introduction of a new book I am reading. I immediately underlined it and thought I had to write on this topic. I understand what it means to write in silence. I will finish this blog, go back and proof it and then click one button that will make it accessible all over the world. I will never know the full impact, if any as it leaves this little office traveling the cyber highways. 

Very seldom do I get any feedback. I do not know if God uses those blogs, or books, to help anyone. The material is sent out and I remain veiled behind the computer screen. I do not know the impact or effectiveness. Many times it appears the impact is negligible. 

Some topics are more toxic than others. It is predictable. I can write a hard piece about revival and repentance and few will ever read it much less comment about it. I can write a sentimental post that is uplifting and will see more read those. 

God allows me to get inspiration from all over the place. It could be a passing thought. Something I read or experience. Inspiration comes from conversations with others. It might be something I see like a cardinal hitting my office window 418 times over the course of this summer.  Of course, my greatest source of writing comes from the Bible and the God of the Bible. Those topics are inexhaustible. 

Sometimes I feel inspired to write multiple posts in a single day. At other times, I am not inspired to write anything for weeks and at times months. I have written thousands of blogs. My current site is not the first one. I wrote over 1,500 posts on my original blog. The last time I checked it was still up and running. I wrote on that site from 2008-2014. I wrote in good times as well as bad ones. Finally I decided I needed a fresh start. I created this current blog. 

This is not an attempt to get pats on the back. I do not write for accolades. I write because God has called me to do so and gives me messages I have to get out. These writings will last much longer than my life. Therefore, I hope and pray my influence for Jesus will remain. I am not a best selling author or even a popular blogger. I write into the silence never knowing who or where people might read my musings. 

I write into the silence hoping that God will use them to travel far beyond what I can imagine to help people. I write in silence to fulfill my calling and point people to God. I write in silence hoping and praying somebody will be touched as profoundly as I have been by things I have read over the years. May the Lord do with these writings that pleases Him. 

So what is the point? God never called me to be famous in writing. He never promised me riches untold. He called me to be faithful. Faithful in obscurity hammering out posts that might be a little extra fuel to help someone through their day. To nourish a loving flock I love with my whole heart. To trust that He will get His message into the right hands all over the world. For all those reasons, I continue to write in silence. 

I challenge to be faithful to do whatever He has called you to do. Even if it is done in silence. Do it for Him. Be a diligent worker trusting Him with the results. Be faithful in the silence.