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Living the Story Before You Write It - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - December 3, 2024
"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
When I was fourteen, I felt God call me to be an author. Fourteen years later, that dream is coming true. For the past six months, I've charged full speed ahead into this new season. Writing articles, doing collaborations, engaging in speaking events, and carving a new path. But inside, something has felt tired, empty, and confused.
Amidst the journey of becoming who God has called me to be, the busyness of life has taken over my soul. I've forgotten to hold my husband's hand, smile at the sunset, embrace the change of the seasons, and rejoice in the blessings and suffering. I've forgotten to ask what God wants me to focus on for fear of what He might say.
Rest.
Pause.
Slow Down.
Wait.
Breathe.
The blank canvas before me has been muddied by my mind. Fear and insecurity creep in, blackening the tarp with coal. How easily I've exchanged mundane moments and the stillness of silence for the next task and to-do instead.
Yet, isn't it in those times of quiet bleakness, the darkness enveloping an evening, that God speaks the loudest to our weak and weary souls? The days we're working and striving and pushing so hard He's only asking us to be His children, His creation, His precious prize.
Relax.
Hault.
Delay.
Prepare.
Inhale.
Listen.
Hear.
This past weekend, I had the honor of meeting my writing coach whom I've worked with for the last three years. In charm, hospitality, and kindness, she and her husband invited us to have dinner with their little family. From the candlelight table to the cheer on her three littles' faces, I was grinning ear to ear. Everything about her home spoke peace, wisdom, and rest—a story being written. There was no rush. There was no hurry. It was just her, her family, and the Lord.
As the guest, I felt honored to sit at her table. It felt like a front-row seat on Little House on the Prairie. We smiled, laughed, and shared what the Lord was doing in our lives. When I asked her if she'd write and publish another book anytime soon, her words took me aback: “I’m living the books I want to write."
Many of us spend our lives hustling, bustling, and rushing to the next adventure. We skip childhood because we want to be teenagers. We rush into young adulthood because we want to be married. We shove cultivating our relationship with our spouse to the side because we want to start a family. But before we know it, the things that were supposed to matter the most don't.
We forget to watch the sunrise.
We forget to kiss our spouse.
We forget that kids make mistakes because they're learning.
We grow too busy to talk to God.
We feel too chaotic to breathe or think.
We no longer desire this life but wish for a new one.
But what if the life we're living now is the one we will someday tell others about?
In Philippians 1:6, Scripture reminds us that God began a good work in each of us. From the beginning of time, male and female, He created us with passion, purpose, and unique design. God is the ultimate author of our lives, and though He gives us free will, the life we're now living will someday become our stories.
For some of us, that story is rushed and chaotic. Every day seems to spin into the next. Before we know it, another year has passed. We're frantic, worn down, and weary. Life doesn't feel livable, but being busy seems to be the norm. We never know when we will have time to enjoy our spouse, children, or these moments because we're too busy getting through them.
For others, that story is peaceful and calm. Every day might not be hustling and bustling, but it's filled with moments that matter. There's purpose in the birds chirping, washing the dishes, and doing the laundry. A shift of perspective opens our eyes to the story within these mundane moments instead of rushing through them. We make time for the kisses and hugs. We take a moment to remember who God is and who we are right here at this very moment. We choose to slow down in these sacred spaces, even against the grain of culture, because we know what really matters.
It's up to us to decide which story we will press into.
Friends, I know that slowing down amidst the story being written sounds scary. This is your life and you only get one. You want to live to the fullest and experience everything. But what if the best way to encounter life comes when we recognize the sacredness of every moment? What if there's beauty in being present rather than pushing a pace we know isn't sustainable?
Let's pray:
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for being the ultimate author of our lives. Help us to slow down, listen, pause, and truly live the lives we're living. Please give us the strength to live out the stories you want us to tell, and free us from the things that don't matter. Amen.
Agape, Amber
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/FreshSplash
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington, Andrea Bocelli, Reba McEntire, Mark Wahlberg, Tony Dungy, and Matthew McConaughey—what do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their stories of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
