Inspired to Write

For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed. How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! I try to count them - they are more than the sand; I come to the end - I am still with you. Psalm 139: 13-18 (NRSV)

When Debra Pierce, from Massachusetts, arrived home from painting class, she checked her email. Her mood plummeted when she found that her devotional submission had been rejected. She reviewed the list of possible reasons for the rejection that the publisher sent. Then she read her meditation several times, trying to discern why it wasn't accepted.

For aspiring writers, rejections are discouraging. Sometimes rejected meditations cause Debra to doubt her God-given purpose. Butt still she labors at her craft. Her heart's desire is to glorify God through her writing and to share her faith experiences with others.

But writing is hard work. It requires discipline and commitment, as well as a teachable spirit. Rejections, though discouraging, are also a catalyst for continued learning and practice. So when discouragement threatens to derail her efforts, Debra recalls today's quoted verse and remembers why she writes: It's an expression of her love for others and for God. Whether or not her meditations are published, God is pleased with her efforts. When God weaves within us a divine purpose, God also equips us to persevere. And so as her words flow across the page, Debra continues to answer God's call on her life.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us remain committed when we face rejection. Give us teachable spirits and the will to persevere in our response to your call, in Jesus' name. Amen.