There is something satisfying for me in writing. I’m not sure exactly what components go into yielding so great a satisfaction, but it is there. Maybe if I write a little bit about it, I’ll clarify my own thinking.
I think writing is one of the last things I ever thought I would enjoy. Growing up I always preferred a ball of any sort in my hand over a pen (even a “ball-point” pen). Being outside and running around always took priority over sitting at some table or desk inside. Besides, my mother was an English teacher, so I almost felt like it was my adolescent duty to reject (if not scoff at) what was so dear to her. (This was a sin that not only required repentance, it is also a sin that I dearly regret.)
For the majority of my life I wanted nothing to do with reading or writing. Now both of these activities are my life-blood.
Perhaps it started to change when doctrine became personal. There are probably a thousand ways to describe that time, growing in or understanding doctrine is just one of them. It was when I began to see the life-giving, life-changing impact of good theology. It was when my puny vision of God was exploded to make way for a expanding grasp of His absolute authority and power. It was when I first tasted the doctrines of grace. You might even say it was when I became a Calvinist!
Since then, words have become my good friends. When I can get enough of my friends together in a complete sentence it is a party. On rare occasions when the sentences align together into organized, logical paragraphs I can hardly contain myself!
And I really don’t think it is pride in personal knowledge or ability to turn a phrase, it is excitement at the coherent “discovery” (as Pastor Z described, either in learning something new or newly learning something old). There is happiness for me in clearly written expression. It gives me hope that I actually AM learning something, and deepens a hunger for loving my God more.
I guess that helps to clarify why writing is so satisfying - it helps me to clarify!
