The Rest of Your Story 2: Picking Up Our Pens
To start from part one, click here.
It seems we all ask at some point...
"What's my role in writing the story of my life?"
On one side are those who say you shouldn't jot down a single word unless you know it's perfect.
On the other side are those who say you should just move forward with whatever you feel.
I believe we are called to be proactive partners with God in our story.
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This is an example...
One of my dear friends, Julie, longed for years to have a child and pursued adoption. She and her husband eventually contacted an orphanage in another country but didn't hear anything. Several months later, they had the opportunity to meet with family members of the couple who ran the orphanage.
They had difficulty getting together and only one specific day would work. At dinner, they prayed for Julie and her husband as well as the child they would one day adopt.
A few days later, Julie received a call that the orphanage had a newborn baby boy for them. When Julie considered the time difference, she realized that the mother was probably in labor when they prayed. God had timed the answer to years of longing down to the very minute.
Talking with Julie she said, "I don't think that means we were supposed to be passive--God was working everything out but we had to be moving forward too, even when we didn't have the answers or know exactly what He was doing."
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Julie's words have always stuck with me.
And they remind me of one of my favorite verses, Proverbs 19:21...
Many are the plans in a man's heart but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.
Will we always get it exactly right? Will every choice we make be the perfect one? No, of course not. But what those words say to me is that God can work it out if we're truly seeking Him.
When I look at the people God chose to follow Him, they're a rag-tag bunch that often made mistakes. It seems God values passion more than our idea of perfection. That doesn't mean following our feelings but rather pursuing Him relentlessly and refusing to become passive.
In the story of our lives, I think He's simply looking for hearts who are willing to pick up the pen and have the courage to try to write with Him.
He'll take care of the ending.
Are you joining us from the DaySpring devotional e-mail? I'm so glad you stopped by! For a great giveaway and a fun new challenge, go to The Rest of Your Story: Part 11!
Holley Gerth
Reader Comments (75)
Looking forward to the rest of this series!
Looking forward to the rest of this series too!
God Bless!
So blessed by this series! I can't wait to read the rest of it!
"On one side are those who say you shouldn't jot down a single word unless you know it's perfect and directly from God."
I'm not worried about the word "perfect" because I don't think I should ever wait until I can do something "perfectly"...but the waiting on direction from God part...when you have a minute would you please read my most recent blog post and help me understand what you are saying in relation to a recent decision I made?Thank you so much!Amy
Honestly, I am not sure what to do with it.
Scripture also says: Be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Heaven will be perfect. How I love that.
But perfect as God measures it. I think that is what I do not understand. I take comfort from this: one day I will be face-to-face with Him and I will know, just as I have been known.
For now, it is enough for me that He loves me, just as I am, and yet He's not satisfied. The One who began a good work in me will complete it. Doesn't that sound like being perfect?
And the "not perfect now" is covered with mercy.
He is full of grace and compassion toward us.