Writing is hard work. Have you ever asked yourself, “Why am I doing this?” Honestly, I’ve had that thought a number of times myself. Sometimes it’s a good idea to remember why you started writing and to reaffirm your calling.
Early in my writing journey, I read Marlene Bagnull’s Write His Answer: A Bible Study for Christian Writers. Marlene adopted a Bible verse to remind her of her call to write (Habakkuk 2:2): “Write my answer on a billboard, large and clear, so that anyone may read it at a glance and rush to tell the others” (The Living Bible). Her website is WriteHisAnswer.com, and her entire ministry of writing, editing, and educating other writers is based on this scripture.
Searching the scriptures for other references to writing, I found that many reasons for a person to write are referenced in scripture.
- To document agreements or events: I searched the word “write” on Biblegateway.com, and found a number of references to writing to commemorate a contract or agreement, most of them in the Old Testament. Actually, I was surprised to find so many instances of “write.” See the list here. Near the end of Revelation, John is told to “write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true” (Revelation 21:5).
- To provide an “orderly account:”See Luke 1: 1-4. We write because we want to remember events correctly so that we can share them with others. Luke realized the importance of presenting the gospel from his point of view, knowing that others might get details wrong or misinterpret word-of-mouth accounts.
- To communicate with others: We write to share, remember, motivate, teach, or inspire. Writing helps us leave a legacy. It helps us connect with others in a way that no other communication method can. In the words of John, the Apostle, “We write this to make ourjoy complete.” (1 John 1:4). See the whole paragraph here.
My reasons for writing include all of the above. I have had lots of encouragement from others. That’s what keeps me going, the feedback from my readers.
Why do you write? Share your thoughts by commenting on this post.
Other articles entitled, “Why Do You Write?”
Thank you for the post, Emily. I write to change lives. The scripture I have on the back of my business card is Habakkuk 1:5. Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told. Sometimes when I wonder why I write, I come back to this scripture and post a blog article. I don’t usually get rejections there.
I like Habakkuk 2:2 is a great verse and I use it on my website. I am seeing more and more Christian writers also use it.