God Does Things Today. And He’ll Be with You When You Write. Once, when I was teaching voice lessons in a musical theater program, I had a student who was curious about something I said. What I said was, “I felt like God said…” (followed by whatever it was).
She looked puzzled. I don’t remember what it was I felt like God said, but by this point, this student had heard me use that phrase enough times that she was intrigued.
We were finished with the lesson and packing up our things to leave the studio.
I also had a cold. A bad one. One of those that feel like they are at the peak and are going to linger for at least another week. I was miserable and should not have been working. I wanted to go home, but she wanted to chat.
“You say that all the time. What do you mean?”
I said, “I mean I pray about things, and try to get some sense for what God might want me to do about this or that. And then I try to do it.”
In hindsight, I don’t know that I was as prophetic as I thought I was. But as a new church planter, I was always trying to hear Him, so I could do what He said.
She seemed disturbed, but interested.
I said, “Do you want me to do it right now?”
She looked at me alarmed. But my wife and I had had this student to our home a few times and there was a level of trust, so she said, “Sure????”
I started to pray and things came to me.
Today I am less sure than ever about the way this kind of thing works. But back then, if I had a thought while I was praying, I just assumed it was God. I no longer do assume every thought during prayer is from God, but I also am not a cessationist. I mean that I still believe that the gifts of the Spirit in the Bible are for today. I’m just not quite as sure how they work. I am much more likely to try to live by biblical principles, rather than just ask God every minute what He wants me to eat, or which direction I should walk, etc.
But that day, I was doing my best, and the Holy Spirit showed up.
I don’t remember what I prayed, but I do remember that both of us (and she was Jewish, not a Christian), were overcome by both emotion and a strong physical energy. She was a little freaked out by it, because it was tangible.
It was so sweet. I knew that God was resting on us in my studio in the bowels of Illinois Wesleyan University’s Presser Hall.
I finished praying. She wanted an explanation for what she felt. We talked about how Jesus is real and that He’d been there with us. It was a great day.
Then we left, and as I walked to the car, I realized something:
My cold was completely gone. Totally, utterly, healed. And I had not noticed when it happened, because I’d been so overcome.
Now…
What’s that got to do with writing?
There is power from God. There is power that Christians can operate by. Why in the world would you not want to write in that power?
Why would you not want the Spirit of God who may just take care of your terrible head cold while He’s there, to be manifest as you create?
Gosh, why would we not just want to abide in Christ by His Holy Spirit all the time?
Why would we not want to seek the Kingdom of God and all this (writing) will be added unto (us)?
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Romans 8:9-14
Let’s do this today. Take your time before you begin writing. Ask the Lord to come and talk to you. Wait for Him.
It’s not that He is slow. It’s that we are.
I suspect He is always right there at the door knocking, but you and I are too enamored with our own thoughts to invite Him in. How long does it take? However long it takes to turn our eyes and ears to Him.
Just…wait.
Then as you start to realize you’re not alone, start writing. He may also heal your head cold while He’s there.
Jeff B. Miller
