When I sit down to write these posts, I often ask the
question, “What might be an encouragement?” Maybe someone today needs to hear, “Don’t wait until you think you’re
good enough.”
Being good enough is like the carrot that dangles out in
front of us and keeps getting moved further away, especially when it pertains
to the creative realm.
Once at a writer’s conference, I met a man who was knowledgeable
about the craft of writing. I asked him what he had written. He answered, “Nothing.
I’m waiting to get good enough to start.”
My guess is it would be hard for him to begin, because the
perfectionism would ever be whispering in his ear, “You’re not there yet.”
I understand. Over twenty years ago when I sensed the Lord
calling me to write, I began with the protests even though it was something I
really wanted to do—I might embarrass myself and my
family. Who would want to read what I write? And then always—I’m not good enough.
I can take you to the exact spot in the street while on a
walk one day when I clearly heard the Lord say, “Just start.”
And so, I did. That included studying and going to writer’s conferences,
but I knew it would be wrong to wait until I thought I was “good enough.” I
just had to put hands to keys and write. I received rejections. But in time, I also received
acceptances. If you sense God calling you to something, you have to put your
head down and go after it, despite other’s opinions.
A wise man once said, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it
with all your might . . . “(Ecclesiastes 9:10). With all our strength, we have
to apply ourselves, and leave the results to God.
These words not only apply to writing but anything the Lord
may be calling you to—starting a new business, branching out into
a new creative pursuit, going back to school. The list could go on, but the
point is if God is calling you to it, and you do it with all your might, God
will meet you there.
Someone has said, “God doesn’t call the
equipped . . . God equips the called.” We
see this truth played on in the lives of so may Biblical characters like Moses,
Gideon, and others.
So, if the Lord has placed something in
your heart, and you keep making excuses mostly having to do with not being good
enough, please, to quote a dear mentor of mine, “Don’t let the enemy cheat you
out of giving.”
You have a gift, and the world will be
poorer if you don’t put it out there.
Can’t wait to see what you do.
Beverly Varnado is the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. A memoir, Faith in the Fashion District, from Crosslink Publishing is also available. Also consider her other books, Give My Love to the Chestnut Trees and Home to Currahee. She also has an Etsy Shop, Beverly Varnado Art.
To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.com
Beverly Varnado copyright 2022