With the changing of the seasons and turning of the times, I see a world of new beginnings as the Earth bursts into springtime. New beautiful blooms, creatures and critters crawling out of the woodwork, and people everywhere are shedding their boots and strapping on sandals (well, maybe not the North quite yet). However, it is official; spring is doing its springing!

Yet, in the midst of all this exciting newness, I have experienced a new level of writer’s block. Plenty of inspiration surrounds, yet no words coming to mind, and no sentences taking form. Trying to overcome this, I thought some research on the topic might help. I found writer’s block is defined as “the time an author loses the ability to produce new work, or he/she experiences a creative slowdown.” As I continued to study this condition, I was reminded how often our lives can suffer this same inhibiting syndrome.

There may be all sorts of new beginnings, new chapters, and new projects taking shape around us, but we are found seemingly stuck with no new beginnings, new chapters, or new projects. That is when we must ask ourselves who is the one doing the writing for our life stories? Have we stolen the pen from the Master’s hand? Have we tried to take over and found ourselves in misery, trying to make things happen for ourselves?

Proverbs 16:9 states, “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.” Proverbs 19:21 also warns us, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand” (ESV). When we see how trivial and unrightfully arrogant it is for us to try and run our lives without yielding to God, we are in for a rude awakening. Because as the Scriptures teach us, God’s plan is the one that will be left standing when ours come crumbling to the ground. When we relinquish ourselves and our plans to God, we allow Him to be the Author of our faith, and we can rest assured He is faithful to be the Finisher of it as well.

When we open our spiritual eyes, we can see God is writing the story of our lives as we walk through this world from birth to death. He has been writing since the beginning when He used His words to form the worlds. His stories are the longest lasting and most impacting in all of time itself. Even on our own pages, there are countless events: new chapters open as others have faded out. Nonetheless, each of our stories is as unique and different as we are. I have a story to tell, and you certainly do as well—a magnificent story dripping with details, triumph and tragedy, romance and rage. Your narrative is unique to you and just as spectacular as mine. Why? Because every incredible story is written by the Author and Finisher of our faith. He wrote the story of salvation, and He continues writing it in each of us day by day.

So, what happens when we give God our all—everything we are and everything we are not—and it still seems like nothing is happening now? Does God have writer’s block? Where did He go? Has He put the pen down and stepped away for a season? Absolutely not. Leaving and forsaking are not in His nature when it comes to His children. He may be silent, but He is still writing important details in our storyline. During the moments of hardship and testing, He is adding a chapter called patience. In the times of confusion, He is writing on faith and trust in His Word. In periods of brokenness, God inscribes submission to His will and fullness in Him. In the moments of loneliness, He is penning the beauty of contentment and closeness with Him. In the periods it seems God is silent, He is scribbling faithfulness across your weary heart. If it seems like He is not speaking to you, take a closer look at what He is writing in you.

In the times we assume God has writer’s block, let us be found waiting on Him because He is working in the silence. God has not and will not experience writer’s block; He has no lack of inspiration. If it is merely by His words that the universe and all matter were created, I am confident there is no lack of power and inspiration in His ability to unfold a beautiful story. So, let us be encouraged by the prophet Isaiah’s words, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31, KJV).

It is important to understand that times of waiting are not times of resting. David was working in the field when he was called to be king, not when he was playing around and wasting time. Just because we are waiting on the will of God does not mean we cannot be doing His will now. Let us be found in the prayer rooms, found in His Word, found in a lifestyle of worship, and found reaching the lost. Let us be found about our Father’s business so He may sign His name at the end of our life story.

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6, KJV).

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13, KJV).

Sarah is the Hyphen contributor for InsideOut and a recent graduate of Urshan College. She is now happily married to Jordan Hudspeth with whom she serves the Hyphen group at The Life Center in Saint Petersburg, Florida. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter.