53
That is the number of half started posts I have tucked away in the comfort of a hidden online folder, never to see the light of day. Some are only a handful of sloppily pasted words, while some have a paragraph of furious writing before fading into an unfocused haze. Many were written through emotion. While feelings like anger and despair are good to write out of your system, they make for difficult reading for others. Also, you risk writing something hurtful, that even though you may mean, you don’t wish to broadcast. So these 53 misfit posts remain hidden.
This number has increased recently as I have struggled with writing. There are times in life when you just feel “stuck”. This feeling is unbiased and strikes without warning. While I am not entirely sure how I got here with my writing, I do believe there are certain conditions that welcomed this sleeping giant of creativity destruction. For me, this has been a frustrating season, for many reasons, but for writing especially. This is the main stream of thought and life for me, and when it becomes blocked, it feels like something is missing and I am not contributing to the world around me.
In diagnosing, I realized that I am pouring little into myself right now. We all need to read and consume modes of art and culture that challenge and inspire us, and this well has been dry for me lately. Combined with my felt need to stay informed with current events, which is not a bad idea at all but can add a feeling of numbness if not careful, and you have the perfect storm of artistic suppression. We all have to find what inspires us, and be willing to find times when we can pour it into our weary souls daily. This is the heart of refreshment. This is at the heart of our faith – a faith made of grit and grace.
For the faithful, this aligns perfectly. Christ and His Word are both built with endless pathways of inspiration to motivate saints towards divine living. There is a reason the Christmas narrative is such a compelling story. It inspires and enthralls generations and will continue to do so. As creator, He continues to bring souls and hearts to life. He is creativity and inspiration. Our inspiration is good for business.
What inspires you? How can you make time for it?
Matt simon blog 