Waiting

Waiting

by Donna Mumma

“Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say on the Lord”

(Psalm 27:14 NKJ).

I stand in a waiting period. Circumstances beyond my control have put a cherished writing project on hold. I hesitate to craft new stories because I fear that as soon as I start something else, the call to resume work on my original manuscript will come.

Other dreams and opportunities vanished for various reasons. Worst of all, words evade me. This experience differs from the writer’s block I’ve suffered in the past. I sit and stare at the dreaded blank screen, trying to move past this creativity drought. No words come.

Finally, after much prayer, frustration, and failed attempts to push past this blight, the Lord made something clear to me. He placed me in a “Be still and know” moment.

I must wait on his timing for this to pass. Not mine.

It’s hard here at this moment. Daily on social media, I see posts of fellow writers receiving new contracts, citing their daily word counts, or sharing joy over typing “The End” on a project.

All while I sit and wait. And feel guilty for not producing, pushing past, or figuring out what lesson I’m supposed to learn so I can move forward.

Instead of writing, I’ve read books long ignored in favor of these stalled projects. I’ve edited works written by authors, friends, and family. I’ll attend a writer’s conference and my monthly writer’s group meeting. These good things will benefit my writing once God decides the time has come for me to resume.

God gives us times of waiting for a reason. As the verse reminds us, we are not to lose our courage, hope, or patience in these time-out periods. Instead, we are to trust that he is up to something good, and he means to use this trying occasion for our benefit.

When the time is right, I believe the wave of words will return and I’ll fill the blank screen again.

I must wait on his calendar and not mine.

Dear God, help us all to see these times of waiting as a means of realigning our writing, rejuvenating our creativity, and reconnecting with this calling that came from you. Amen.

Donna Mumma writes award-winning fiction and non-fiction seasoned with a sense of adventure and suspense. An avid believer in education, she holds a M.Ed. in Elementary Education. She serves as a chapter mentor for Word Weavers International. A native Floridian, Donna lives in St. Petersburg, Florida with her husband. She is the mom of two college boys and an energetic collie named Duke. Connect with her at www.donnamumma.me, Instagram @mumma704, Twitter@DonnaMumma1 and Facebook.