The Gift of Writing

“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” ― Anne Frank

Writing, for me, has always been a natural extension of my mind. As I write, I gather all the thoughts that have been floating around, many subconsciously, throughout my brain. I address the way things that have happened in the recent past made me feel, and my journal and I, and often the Holy Spirit, try to make sense of it all. Writing for me has always been a tremendous tool. 

When I write, I sort things out. When I write I find resolve; I can make peace, find confirmation. When I write, I understand myself. 

A Helpful Tool

Many people, when they have no one to talk to, find a friend in their journal. For others it is a wonderful creative outlet, an extension of an imaginative mind. For others, writing is a practice for learning and teaching. 

Many people have forgiven grave sins done to them in their journals. When resolve is not offered in relationship, it can be on paper, a decision we make with ourselves and the Lord. 

I think that taking time to write quiets our busy selves so that we can begin to listen to our souls and to the Lord. Parker Palmer writes in A Hidden Wholeness, “The soul is like a wild animal -- tough, resilient, resourceful, savvy, self-sufficient. It knows how to survive in hard places. But it is also shy. Just like a wild animal, it seeks safety in the dense underbrush. If we want to see a wild animal, we know that the last thing we should do is go crashing through the woods yelling for it to come out. But if we will walk quietly into the woods, sit patiently by the base of the tree, and fade into our surroundings, the wild animal we seek might put in an appearance.”

We need spaces of solitude in our lives in order to get in touch with our soul and what it is saying to us. Ruth Haley Barton dedicates a chapter in her book, Sacred Rhythms, to this. “Solitude is a place. It is a place in time that is set apart for God and God alone, a time when we unplug and withdraw from the noise of interpersonal interactions, from the noise, busyness and constant stimulation associated with life in the company of others… It is also the longing to find ourselves, to be in touch with what is most real within us.” 

Deeper Longings

When we write we sort out the noise in our lives, so that we can hear the deeper longings of our hearts. What is really going on in my life? How do I feel about it? What do I really want in my relationships? What do I want from the Lord? What does he want from me?

One of the most revealing things about writing is the way in which we think of and speak to ourselves. It is not surprising to be confronted with self-condemning talk, unkind ways of reflecting on things that we wish we wouldn’t have done or an overarching feeling of shame.  This prevents many people from continuing to write, as it seems to confirm the untruths being spoken to them. However, if you stick with it long enough, you can call out those un-kindnesses as lies and ask yourself to start being more gracious with yourself. Find Scripture as truth to begin speaking over yourself when you are tempted to be down on yourself the next time. Slowly you can change the way you think of and speak to yourself. Ask God to show you how he thinks of you. 

The truth is, we all have a deeply meaningful story to tell. Our lives are deeply meaningful. Each of them are weaved into an intricate pattern of stories if we take the time to notice. One of which is our great testimony. Writing is a great way to understand yours – and perhaps, share it.  Even great novels are written as disguised versions of stories our heart longs to tell.

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ― Maya Angelou