Need an Idea? - Peter A. Black

Ideas. Ideas are everything. At least, when you need one, they are. When you have a dilemma, such as when the car breaks down

in the middle of nowhere in the boonies, or somewhere like the middle of an intersection during rush-hour. That’s how I introduced a newspaper article several years ago.



In that piece I wrote about a writer’s need for getting ideas. Generally it’s not too difficult, considering there’s lots happening in the world around us at home and abroad to engage the mind and stir the emotions – whether prompting admiration and appreciation, or provoking angst and anger.


My friend Jan has several website blogs, and sometimes has guest bloggers who write articles for her. These blogs are of an inspirational nature, one of them being dedicated to the subject of prayer (I’ve provided several items for it). On another, she intended posting an item every day, but found that with maintaining these sites and caring for responsibilities in life, it was demanding more time and energy than she felt able to give. Yet, she also felt she was to keep it up.


And so, she prayed, and came up with . . . yes, an idea. She would do a “daily five” – that is, she would write for five minutes on whatever topic came to mind. Some friends were invited to guest-write for it on the same basis. Spelling and grammar didn’t have to be perfect, but of course, it must be done in five minutes.


Her focus still is on the inspirational and spiritual dimension of life, and so far it is working well – a great idea. People are involved and others are visiting the site and reading the blogs, and now Jan has a little more time to be a grandma and tend her gardens, whatever.


The inventor of Dyson vacuum cleaners is portrayed on television commercials informing the world that he looked closely at the basic design of vacuum cleaners of the past 100 years and figured how they could be radically improved. Now his revolutionary designs are

changing that industry.


The late Steve Jobs, founder of Apple computers and all things “i” – iPod, iPhone and iPad, et cetera, was a gifted individual with great imagination and business acumen, and developed revolutionary ideas in the field of cyber-technology, personal computing and portable communication applications. And that story still goes on.


Are you stuck for an idea in your life at the present time? I’m sure many of us would like to hit on an idea that would make us a fortune. But life is often more basic than that.


Is yours a need for working through a difficult situation or relationship with a person at work, or dealing with a troublesome teenager at home, or navigating heaving marital seas, or maybe solving a tricky repair problem around the home, and you’ve no idea how to go about it?


Perhaps you’ve exhausted ideas for finding employment, or are concerned with something deeper, more personal than any of these – you sense your need is spiritual; something’s not sitting right, and you know you need God.


You need an idea . . . where to turn, of whom to turn to? Coming to God in prayer right where you are, humbly depending on His grace, is a great place to start. Ask for wisdom – His idea.


You may need to take thoughtful, careful and deliberate steps when the idea comes.


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For further reflection: James 1:5; Proverbs 15:22; Proverbs 16:3


Peter A. Black writes a weekly inspirational column in The Watford Guide-Advocate, and is author of the children's / family book "Parables from the Pond" (Word Alive Press ISBN 1897373-21-X)