Right after recording Bethel Music's last live album We Will Not Be Shaken, Christian singer Hunter Thompson felt the need to go into "a season of retreat" so he rented a secluded cabin overlooking the Trinity River in the mountains outside of Weaverville, California.
There, the singer songwriter recharged his creative batteries and dedicated his time to writing. "I would wake up, sit by the river, and write until I couldn't write anymore. I did this day in and day out. Nearing the end of my second week, I took a moment to reflect," he shared in the Bethel Music blog.
Thompson realised that he was better at writing on some days, while he was less inspired during other days. Ultimately, the artist concluded that he would not have been able to write any of those things had he not set aside the time to write.
Thompson has encountered so many "valleys of discouragement" throughout his entire career, and said that his journey towards writing a good song - and the blood, sweat, and tears involved in it - are actually under-appreciated.
"I have gone through seasons of blessed inspiration, but what about the time in between? What about when you are in the middle of circumstance and can't recognise true inspiration if it was right in front of you? I have heard far less about this other side to writing and creativity– the toil and struggle of making a practice of daily writing," he admitted.
But Thompson believes that God appreciates everything that is done to honour His name.
"I started to have a revelation of God's nature through my work and sacrifice. Sometimes I believe we are waiting for God to give us a song, when in reality, He is patiently waiting for us to give a song to Him," said Thompson. "The joy we bring Him from writing an honest song from our perspective, in the midst of trials is something we will never, for all of eternity, get the privilege to do again."
