Blogger: Rachel Kent
Here are some verses that are wonderful for everyone, but I believe they can be especially helpful for writers. I put a little line about when I think they could be helpful, but they could apply to other circumstances as well. I hope something here touches you today. Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend!
1) A verse for when you face discouragement or rejection: Colossians 3:23-24 “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. (NLT)”
2) A verse for your book release day or for before author talks or book signings: Deuteronomy 31:6 “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. (NLT)”
3) A verse for when a deadline is approaching and you feel overwhelmed: Philippians 4:6- 7 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (NLT)”
4) A verse for when you are wondering why you write: Matthew 28:18-20 “Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ (NLT)”
5) A verse for when you feel overwhelmed, fearful, or alone: Psalm 46: 1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! (NLT)”
6) When you need to refocus: 1 Peter 4:10 “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. (NLT)”
7) When you feel like you aren’t getting anywhere with your writing: Psalm 37:4 “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. (NLT)”
8 ) When you are questioning your value as a writer or when you are facing financial struggles: Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? (NLT)”
9) When you are tired or weary: Isaiah 40: 30-31 “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (NIV)”
10) When waiting gets tough: Lamentations 3:24-25 “I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; (NIV)”
Did one of these verses speak to you today? Which one?
Is there a verse that’s not listed here that has been especially helpful to you in your writing journey?
What fabulous words of encouragement. One of my favorite verses and the screen-saver scroll on my computer is, “In the beginning was the Word.” I also lean heavily on Psalm 16:8 – I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. This is a life verse for me, because only the Lord can be two places at once – in front leading me, and beside me sustaining me.
I love these! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Rachel. Those included some of my favorites!
Thank you, Rachel. Your whole list of verses encouraged me. But when I got to #10 I knew it was the one that spoke to me the most. It’s wonderful when the Word makes your shoulders relax as you focus on Truth instead of “What ifs?” I’ve pinned this post. 🙂
Blessings on your weekend, everyone ~ Wendy ❀
I’m glad they were all encouraging to you! #10 is a special one for me, too.
What a wonderful collection of verses. Thanks, Rachel!
You’re welcome!
And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. (Habakkuk 2:2)
A great verse for writers!
Needed this today, Rachel more than you know. Thank you ❤️
God knew! 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Good list…I suppose John 3:16 is the catch-all for me.
John 3:16 for sure! Great addition to the list.
Excellent verses, Rachel. I find scripture to be powerful and instructive. Thanks for sharing them as spiritual reminders and refocusers (!). It’s so easy to get bogged down by circumstances and distractions (cause)..and negative emotional reactions that pervade (effect). It’s interesting how meditating on a verse, picking it apart, applying it to one’s life and praising God for its message, can turn the ship around and get us going again in the right direction. Nice list.
Thank you!
These are very encouraging. I also find the verses after #8 helpful when I question whether I should be writing:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
– Matthew 6: 33-34
Yes!
Two of my favorite Scriptures are: “I said to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you, I have no good thing.'” Psalm 16:2
“Put God in charge of your work, then what you have planned will take place.” Proverbs 16:3
Wonderful! Thank you.
Thanks for the encouragement Rachel.
When I need an extra nudge to keep writing, rewriting, researching, marketing, and summiting to publishers, 2 Corinthians 8:11 keeps me motivated:
“So now finish the work you started. Then your ‘doing’ will be equal to your ‘wanting to do.’ Give from what you have. (NCV)”
Although this verse refers to giving to those in need, isn’t this what we as writers do when we use the time, talents, experiences, and insights God gives us? Hopefully, what we write and submit will meet the publishers’ and readers’ needs and enrich their lives.
Great verse! Thanks for adding it to the list.
Thanks for sharing, Rachel. I love these!
You’re welcome! Have a nice weekend!
The ninth one from Isaiah. There is a great amount of wisdom in that book of the Bible. Also the fifth one is good – although I write in the horror genre, the driving force is always that good defeats evil albeit suffering losses and indignity slong the way.
That is how to write horror in my opinion! Good for you! 🙂
Thanks for weighing in!
Ahhhh, I LOVE the Isaiah 40 verses!
I grew up on the West Coast of Canada, in Vancouver. I went to a camp on an island and we had a few eagles.They were always so beautiful, soaring our over the sea, riding the air currents for hours.
Micah 6:8 is my life verse. Mercy, humility and justice.
Wonderful verses, all! And the applications are spot on as well. The waiting verse speaks to me during this period of my life, not just in writing but other areas as well.
I have one to add.
2 Chronicles 20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.
This verse is very fitting when we face criticism or legal issues.
Wonderful blog post! It’s a keeper. Thanks, Rachel. And thanks to those of you who have added more verses. I have been uplifted and convicted several times while reading Rachel’s blog post and all of the comments by fellow writers. Wow!
Habakkuk 2:2-3 is also mine: Write the vision and inscribe it on tablets of stone, for the vision is let for the appointed time, It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.
Rachel, They all speak to me. Then there are these verses that sustained me through the death of my first wife, one of the worst events of my life, yet one that set me on this road to writing:
Romans 8:38-39. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life nor…(anything)…will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Thanks for the reminder of why we write. I appreciate the encouraging words and needed them today.
I hope you have a blessed weekend!
Absolutely wonderful! Thanks!!!
Matthew 10:19~~
…do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of the Father speaking through you.
This works for me when I’m writing, but especially when I speak in front of a group.
Thanks for the encouragement from God’s Word.