Have you ever worked on a project? Built a new house? Wrote a book? Created a website? Renovated your kitchen? Raised a child?
We start these things with grand ideas including how we think the project will go. Of course, we’re ALWAYS wrong. Unforeseeable obstacles crop up. Simply put–things NEVER go as planned.
When I built a home many years ago, my father warned me of just that. He said, “these things never go as planned.” I was looking at everything with rose-colored glasses knowing everything would go perfectly.
He was right. I was wrong.
Things never go as planned–unless you’re God.
“You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” – Proverbs 19:21
“Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” – James 4:13-15
I get a great taste for this with every book I write. But especially as I finish recording Astray.
It’s funny how God brought the team together in an amazing way (check out God Provides for more), but tends to test our trust throughout the process. I mean, the way He brought us together was clearly Him. Why wouldn’t I trust Him to see me through?
But if I trusted Him fully, why would I be anxious?
Yet I was.
At first I wasn’t. We’d never recorded an audio book before and didn’t know what we were doing. So, we needed to rerecord the first several chapters–twice. I was okay with that.
We were recording in a church so there were numerous interruptions. Having worked as the office administrator there, I expected as much. And people come first. So, I was still okay.
The building had little-to-no soundproofing. So, every time someone would use a drill or speak loudly, it sounded like the drill or the people were in the broom closet with the narrator. But, I was still okay.
God had started this–He would see us through.
My narrator had a construction job coming up. After that point, recording would be nearly impossible. Also, the church sanctuary was scheduled for renovation. So, even if we managed to find a time when we could all record, the equipment would no longer be available.
The last week before my narrator started her new job, I was beginning to sweat. I dropped everything else to be there every day, arriving early to set up and maximize our recording time. When people interrupted, I plastered on a fake smile and said it was no problem. But inside–I was freaking out.
All this time. All this effort. All the money…
What if it had to wait?
Commence nail biting.
The end of the week came–and we made it. Just under the wire.
But what if we needed to rerecord anything? I didn’t have a good idea from my editor if there would be issues that would require fixes. After many frantic messages between my narrator, editor, and pastor in charge of all the equipment, we managed to squeeze in a time to record a couple of edits.
But I have to confess–I was losing my mind. I wasn’t trusting God. Rather, I was fighting to control the situation. Why? Why freak out and worry about something I have absolutely no control over when God does? He’s the reason I wrote the book. He’s the reason I want to turn it into audio. If He wants it to happen, it will. If He doesn’t, it won’t. Simple as that. Why sacrifice the peace I could’ve experienced by simply trusting Him?
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7
Honestly, I think God wanted it to come to this. It forced me to drop to my knees and come to Him with my concerns–more than once. Doing so stopped the insanity and brought me closer to Him. He made me remember that people are more important than projects and I need to love them and trust Him rather than feeling frantic. Basically, he set my heart straight.
“Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” – Matthew 22:37-39
As I write this, I still don’t know that this project will see completion this spring as I’d hoped. If any issues crop up, we won’t be able to rerecord them–unless a miracle happens. But God is in the miracle business and I simply need to trust Him. And let me say from experience–it is far better to trust God than to try to play god–for everyone involved.
I find most of the lessons God teaches me come back to this–my life verse:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
But I also have to be patient with myself. In that past, I would’ve freaked out much sooner. So, I’m seeing progress. It’s a s-l-o-w process, but it’s progress nonetheless.
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” – Philippians 1:6
What about you? Is your life currently without issues? What about when problems arise? If you’re in the midst of something difficult, are you trusting God to see you through? Believers don’t need to freak out or live in uncertainty. We have the power of the Holy Spirit within us. We can experience calm through any difficulty–if only we trust. I pray that you with experience that peace that surpasses all understanding as you trust in Jesus.
And go easy on yourself. God has begun a good work. He will see it through.
You are loved,
J F Rogers