So, why do I write?
To gain a greater understanding
of God’s Word
One
of the main reasons I enjoy writing is that it helps me develop a better
understanding of God’s Word. Through my Christian writing, I’m able to grasp more
meaning from Bible verses and gain greater insights into the Scriptures than by
any other means. When I open my heart and mind to Jesus’s words, I feel like
His apostles must have felt listening to His teachings. It’s as though His Holy
Spirit is inspiring and guiding me, prompting me to write the words that flow
through my pen and onto the paper. So many times I’ve been searching for just
the right words or the right Bible verse, and suddenly the words magically form
in my mind or I open my Bible by chance to the perfect Scripture. But my
experience isn’t unique. I’ve heard other Christian writers express these same
feelings and experiences.
And let us consider how we may spur
one another on toward love and good
deeds.”
~ Hebrews 10:24
To use God’s gift for
the good of others
I
can’t imagine not using this great gift that God has given me (Ephesians 2:10).
I know that many Christian writers feel this way regardless of whether they
write for the Christian market, the mainstream market, or both. Whatever and
wherever we write, we feel impelled to uphold Christian principles because we
wish to serve our Lord and use our gift for God’s glory. We want to reach out
to our readers and have a positive impact on their lives, comforting,
encouraging, and inspiring them. We want to help and uplift them in times of tribulation.
We want to bless and heal their hearts and souls with God’s Word. It’s true
that the pen is mightier than the sword, so we must choose our words wisely so
we never lead our readers astray or cause them to stumble (Matthew 12:36). We
must always remember that our words are capable of inciting love or hate, good
or evil, violence or peace.
“I write because I don’t know what I
think until I read what I say.”
~ Flannery O’Connor
To gain a better
understanding of myself
I
write to find out what I’m thinking. It’s as though I don’t know what I really
think about something until I’ve written down the words and read them on paper.
It helps me express my ideas, insights, and emotions. Writing helps me answer
questions and work through problems. It helps me process my thoughts, feelings,
ambitions, and motivations. It helps me embrace my hopes and fears. It provides
a cathartic release whenever the floodgates open. Writing helps me unravel the
mysteries of life and discover what is truly important.
To indulge my love
affair with words
Ever
since I first learned to read, I’ve desired to participate in and find my niche
in the writing world. I never tire of the thrill of capturing an idea that’s in
my mind or an emotion that’s in my heart with just the right words. Writing is
never easy. But that’s also part of the attraction for me. It can be very difficult
to craft a well-written article, story, or poem that reaches readers’ hearts
and minds and stirs their emotions. If you write for publication, there is not
only the need to write well but the additional pressure of meeting the editor’s
expectations and deadlines. But even if no one ever read a single word I wrote,
my love affair with words would impel me to keep writing them down on paper.
So, why
do you write?
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It is amazing to me that the act of writing one's thoughts down actually helps to clarify them. It seems that a lot of writers find this to be true. Excellent post, Nina.
ReplyDeleteYes, I find writing things down helps me to focus on what's important and enables me to internalize and connect ideas easier. It always helps me to learn and solve problems more effectively. I discovered back in high school that the physical process of writing things down using pen and paper helped me to understand and memorize my lessons. I still find this to be a more effective method than simply typing on my laptop.
ReplyDeleteGreat reasons to write, Nina. I think many of us can identify with them. I've recently discovered the SOAP method of Bible study and find it very helpful to write down Scriptures that stand out from the day's reading, Observations, a personal Application, and a Prayer.
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing this SOAP method of Bible study to my attention, Susan. It sounds like an excellent way to dig deeper into the meaning of God's Word. I have written Bible verses that I want to memorize out on index cards before or written down some of my favourite Scriptures in journals. I will have to try this method of Bible study, too.
DeleteThanks, Nina, for your sharing your thoughts on why you write. You make a good point in sharing how we can grow in our knowledge and understanding of God's Word through our writing. When we are writing or thinking about what we want to write, the Scripture we need often comes to mind. Then the more we dig, the more we learn.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of 2 Timothy 3:16-17, which says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." Bible reading and the Spirit's leading can equip us to write what we feel called to write.