@KatyKauffman28

I looked at the first draft of my book’s introduction, and I felt helpless. It sounded so academic, and it wasn’t fair to the main characters. I wasn’t writing a novel, but a Bible study on 2 Timothy. I was trying to talk about the apostle Paul and his son in the faith, but my writing sounded more like a book report rather than an inspiring study. I even had writer’s remorse. I had taken the draft to my writer’s group, and after I read it, I was convinced it wouldn’t work.

Writer’s block loomed between me and my computer, and I pushed away from the desk. I grabbed one of my favorite books off the shelf, Far from Homewritten by a pastor who had spoken at my college. I opened it and desperately read some paragraphs, trying to absorb his voice and think of a new way to start my book. Then I sat down at my desk and tried again.

Writer’s block can fight us at every stage of writing a book—when we begin, when we try to find better wording, when we need just the right illustration, when we’re tired of editing. It follows us when we push away from our desk and make some coffee or do our errands. It reminds us that we’re stuck and tempts us to give up.

What if we could turn the monster called Writer’s Block into an ally? What if we were able to turn frustration into opportunity?

I don’t know about you, but when I get stuck in my writing, I pray. I try to pray even before I start writing. But especially in those times when I can’t break down the wall between me and inspiration, I ask for God’s help. I calm down my emotions and ask Him for just the right lead-in or wording. Sometimes, I need to add activity to my prayers. I go for a walk, listen to my favorite music, or do something that refreshes my heart. Again and again, God’s help has come in some form—a single sentence that started a lead-in, advice from a friend, or a totally new subject.

Writer’s block becomes an ally when we allow it to drive us to God. When we seek His help above our own intuition and capabilities. Writer’s block becomes an asset when it stops us long enough that we ask God what Hewants to say through our writing. We may discover some truth we wouldn’t have otherwise. We may find just the right way to say something that will be exactly what someone else needed to read. And if we hadn’t gotten stuck, both we and the reader would have missed out on a greater blessing.

So the next time Writer’s Block stands between you and finishing a project, don’t snarl. Smile. This frustration can turn into an opportunity to bless someone with your words. Pray, go for a walk, fix some coffee, and keep seeking the right words and the right approach. Your quest may result in something much better than you were expecting.

Katy Kauffman is an award-winning author, an editor of Refresh Bible Study Magazine, and a co-founder of Lighthouse Bible Studies. Her first compilation, Breaking the Chains, won a 2018 Selah finalist award. Her second compilation, Heart Renovation: A Construction Guide to Godly Character, uses the metaphor of house renovation to show how God renovates our hearts. Katy’s writing can be found at CBN.com, thoughts-about-god.com, PursueMagazine.net, two blogs on writing, in online magazines, and on devotional blogs. She loves spending time with family and friends, making jewelry, and hunting for the best coffee. Connect with her at her blogand on Facebookand Twitter.