What is Inspiration ? by Tracy Williamson
Inspiration? What is it really?
A voice booming from the Heavenlies?
A light turning my darkness to day?
A sudden urge to take up my pen and words flowing without thought or plan?
A story line or article theme just dropping into my consciousness?
Is it a happening in my everyday suddenly being outlined in florescent yellow like the speaker square in Zoom?
Inspiration. We all seek it but what is it really we are looking for? Does it rest on the fact that we are writers, living entwined amongst the words and phrases of our subconscious minds, just waiting to leap onto a new blank page (or screen)? Or is its hiding place nestled in the deep valleys of our goals and visions for why we are writing? What are we hoping to achieve as we struggle to think of the next word? Are we expressing our buried self in a journal? Are we writing a funny story to bring joy and fun? Is it a poem that will give meaning to someone's pain? A devotional to uplift and encourage? Our memoir? A novel? Or a textbook to help a child learn?
For David as he wrote the psalms, inspiration seemed to flow as he lived his life fully aware, in tune with his thoughts, feelings and the workings of God. He saw God's shepherding care as he tended his precious sheep. As he maybe gazed upon one of his own newborn babies, the awesomeness of being eternally known and loved by God filled his soul. People going to worship; a majestic mountain; a beautiful river; a feeling of confusion and deep abandonment; the agony of rejection by his family and the joy of God's tender acceptance ...all these opened the door.
Inspiration? For me it is a nudge inside, to stop, to think, to follow a new line of thought, a hidden trail barely visible but if I persevere yielding a view, a landscape that I would never have imagined I'd see. Where do such nudges come from? Everywhere!
A chance word in conversation
Staring at a blank screen
Getting stuck in the mud while walking my dog
Dropping and smashing my favorite mug
Spending time in God's word...
Cooking, Reading, Loving, Living
Feeling, Hoping, Grieving, Rejoicing
In Being I find him
Inspiration/
This is so lovely, Tracy - I agree with you, inspiration comes from 'all over' - andI suppose it ultimately comes from our wonderful God. A further thought: in this time of not only Covid but much else beside on the political front, we as writers have a great inspiration and purpose, in knowing that life is not meaningless, it's not just existing. It has a moral and spiritual side, and that is not a theory, it is vested in a Person, Christ. We are not alone. We are never really in a desert.This shines through the piece you've written here today. Life can be hard, but it isn't purposeless, and inspiration will turn up for us, from, here there and everywhere.
ReplyDeleteLove this. He is my inspiration. He is THE inspiration. When I am struggling for ideas, I just turn my affection to Him and suddenly a thought or an idea comes. I find prayer meetings and worship gatherings are when inspiration often comes, which does mean I might be distracted slightly for the rest of the time! But I log those thoughts, and use them, because they have come when He is my focus. He helps me see the everyday things differently too. One day it could be a beautiful view from my window, another day the dog snoring! I love how He works!
ReplyDeleteHe uses all of creation to inspire and comfort us
ReplyDeleteWhen I see the word inspiration, I always see the words "in spirit" - is that not the source of Inspiration, the Holy, creative Spirit of God?
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