Messy rough draft

By joannsblog2016 on October 9, 2023 • ( 2 )

Laying there upon the table, I found this nice, leather-bound book. Unrecognizable to my eyes. Where had it come from? What did it contain? Was it fiction or non-fiction? In awe and wonder, I picked it up and began flipping through the pages. Some pages were filled and some blank. I pondered the written pages line by line, word by word. This story, so familiar. As I continued to turn the page, I noticed words appearing before my eyes in a fresh layer of ink. It appeared to be a work in progress. I flipped to the table of contents. As my eyes read each chapter listed, I realized these chapters were pieces of my life. My mind was in awe as I saw chapters in the contents that I didn’t recognize. Flipping back to the last written chapter, I noticed not all chapters had been written….

Wouldn’t it be intriguing to find a mysterious book of your life and to realize the unwritten pages already had chapter titles?

I’m beginning to think that is how our story is formed. God has outlined the content, the chapters. We are not only the main character, but we are a coauthor. We are active participants in writing this story as we make one choice after another writing the messy rough draft. Some of those choices align directly with the content of the chapter (perhaps a short chapter) and other choices veer off course.

Here is the awesome part of the process, we have a pretty good editor. He takes those choices that change the course of the path and He redirects it to form the intended journey that He has outlined. The journey that will lead to the next chapter. Cleans up the messy rough draft, perfecting the story to lead smoothly to the next chapter.

I’m certain if you ponder through the chapters of your life, you see these choices and you’ve witnessed the editor redirecting parts of it to form a perfect ending to the chapter. You also may look at it and think why didn’t I make that choice in the first place, that would’ve been easier and less painful.

I look at my own story, amazed at some of the choices and I’m awe struck by the redirection. Many of these choices, I was pretty certain I was supposed to make. But they turned out to be avenues off the main road. I’m thankful that I have a good editor. One who is passionate about my story and wants it to have a happy ending and share it with me.

I believe this is the Christian life, the struggle and the glory. We write the messy draft through our choices and we have a wonderful director to edit where the story is headed to align with the intended outcome. Some of us call Him the Holy Spirit, others may recoginize Him as God Himself or perhaps the Son. No matter how we see Him, He is one or more person(s) of the Holy Trinity that is editing our story, leading us to eternity.

All stories start with a messy rough draft so they can creatively capture all the details of the exciting twists and turns that accomplish the phenomenal ending. Could you imagine a first “perfect” story? How boring would that be?

Will you allow Him to edit your story, redirect it when it is misaligned? That is part of our invitation in actively discerning our life choices and sorting through the messy rough draft. That is the path to sainthood.