What would you do if you were given 10 minutes to write a letter to God? No time to re-draft, or put it off until another day. You must do it now.
You can write anything you want, but you only have 10 minutes.
What would you say? Would you write about regrets, ask for forgiveness, confront him with questions, spill out bitterness or plead for something to change?
Writing things down helps us to see more clearly what is going on in our lives – where our priorities lie. It helps us to take ownership of parts of our lives that are out of control, and it helps us to let things go.
I sat with 9 others in a room for 20 minutes. A few moments to settle, a brief outline of our task, paper and pen in front of us, and 10 minutes to write.
None of us needed a moment to think. Our pens rumbled and scraped over the paper. Then a sniff from someone beside me, another from behind. A box of tissues passed round. Something deep and moving was happening in the meeting between hearts, minds, paper and God.
We sealed our letter in an envelope and prayed to God, who gives us life and breath and everything else.
In my letter I saw what is most important to me. And as I wrote on the envelope “To my Father” I recognised that I am utterly dependent on God’s character. As I open my deepest longings to him I need to know that he accepts, loves and forgives me. I feel vulnerable.
The pressure was off and I moved on, stunned by the clarity of knowing what is urgent and important to me.
As I walked home I was already planning what to change.
Dare to give this a go. A brief coffee break that can turn your thinking around. Pour yourself a hot drink and sit down with pen and paper. Before you finish your drink, or it has gone cold, write a letter to God.
I tore my letter up and walked away from it. Writing things down helped me to let them go and move on.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.
Have life to the full 