Where Homes Converge: Stories

Before I jump into this post, I want to give a caveat. In his book Surprised by Joy, C. S. Lewis wrote, “Joy bursts in our lives when we go about doing the good at hand and not trying to manipulate things and times to achieve joy.” (Joy is what C. S. Lewis called the yearning, or sehnsucht, that I’m talking about in my summer series for the next 11 weeks. You can find the first post of the series here.) This quote of Lewis’ might make it seem like I’m trying too hard, seemingly contradicting the purpose of this series. (And if C. S. Lewis says it’s I’m manipulating, I’m gonna stop in my tracks, right? Quit blogging and take up badminton or something.)

I just want to make sure it’s clear that the things that I’m writing about are not guaranteed to bring heavenly yearning. Not even for me. As C. S. Lewis went on to say, “No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.” I think it is the desire coupled with openness to see it that most exposes our hearts to the possibility of yearning. It is important, though, not to be satisfied with an inorganic version of the feeling.

With that being said, it’s time to plunge right in. This week, I’m talking about yearning that comes through/from stories, writing, and the state of being a storyteller.

There’s nothing else in the world quite like writing a story. At least for me, and I believe most writers would agree, storytelling rarely feels like making up a story and presenting it to the reader. Rather, it’s like discovering a story that God has buried under the surface of life. I am the only one that will find that exact story, and I am the only one who can tell it. If another writer tried to tell the same story, it would undeniably be different.

I love the act of discovering a story because it reminds me that I am a subcreator. It’s kind of like building sandcastles– God made the sand and the model castle, and I get to spend my life building castles that imitate His. Even though my castles will never be as intricate or perfect, they will point toward His castle. In the same way, God wrote the Story of all stories while creating all of the characters. Now I get to write stories that hopefully point towards His Story.

All of this is very interesting, of course, but what about it gives me yearning?

Firstly, every single story in this world has been told. As King Solomon wrote, “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9c). Of course, each writer brings something new to the world as everyone has their own perspective, but the basic story is always the same. There is a story world (Creation) and it is broken (the Fall) and someone needs to fix it (Redemption). Someone will try to save the world. And they will either succeed, or they will fail. Success points toward Christ. Failure points toward a need for Christ. This realization makes me long for the day when all of the stories, all of the pointings and the needings, will come true.

Second, there’s this feeling writers get sometimes when they sit down to write. This inadequacy. This doubt whispering through their heads that they can never write something good enough to publish or to compare with the other books out there. (I’m currently reading a second draft I’ve been working on, and I’m telling ya, the discouraging voices are loud.) Even if they’re confident in their writing ability (as I am when not reading manuscripts I’ve just spent months on), the doubt is still there. Except that it’s slightly different. The question it asks is, “How are you supposed to write a story that points to THE STORY? You’re a broken human. You can’t copy Him. You’re going to mess this up.”

Brace yourselves, because I’m about to say something crazy. The voices are right. I am going to mess this up. So. Bad. I am a broken human. I can’t copy Him. I’m going to goof every time.

But here’s the thing. That’s okay. Because His power is made perfect in my weakness. Not only that, but I’m not supposed to copy Him. I’m supposed to mirror Him. So when you pick up my story, you can see a reflection of His. That is still going to be imperfect. Because I’m not perfect!

That’s also okay, because this is where the yearning comes home. My stories won’t be perfect this side of heaven. But one day, they will be. My brokenness, the whispering doubts that appear when I write? I can choose to ignore them… or I can choose to hear them and understand that though the devil might be using to try to discourage me, God is using that doubt to remind me that one day my writing will be perfect. The broken words will converge with the wholeness of heaven.

What about stories gives you longing? Let me know in the comments!

Image credits: WallpaperCave