We’re all so used to the fairytales and amazing stories we used to read and watch in movies as kids. We were met with an amazing plot, with amazing characters, and from beginning to end, everything was relevant. Everything was streamlined and weaved together: every scene, every part of the journey, even the mistakes. In these stories, there were no fillers or detours. You read through the book or watched the movie, things made sense as you read, and an expected end was near as you watched (you could always tell). Having experienced these tales, I think many of us then find it hard to live in the real world, where the end isn’t always so clear to see coming. In the real world, it seems like there are fillers, or, at least, times where it feels like we are so off track from the original plot of our lives that we first came up with. The fact of the matter is, while living life, things rarely feel streamlined. The plot isn’t like the movies and books; it can be scattered all over the place. There are many different themes and many different chapters. If we are too fixed on what we think the plot should be, we will unintentionally miss out on the plot God had in mind for us instead.
I’m one of those people that are always thinking about the legacy I could leave behind. What will be my legacy as a man of God? When I get to Heaven I want to really feel it when Jesus tells me, “Well done” (Matthew 25:23). I want my death to mean something across the entire universe. I want my story to inspire others. Many of us feel this way. However, some of us are so fixated on managing our story that we try to steal the pen from God – the author.
You see, God has a plan for us. We choose whether we want to follow that plan or not. I chose to follow it 7 years ago. However, sometimes it’s hard to yield to the author when you find yourself in situations that make no sense to you. Like for real, what happened to the original plot of the movie? In your head, you probably think that you should be doing more by now.
Maybe you are supposed to be where you dreamt of being in life by now – but you’re not. Instead, you are currently in a state of confusion, not understanding why you are doing the things you are doing, and just lost with no idea of how all these dots in your life will one day connect. As a piece of advice, let me tell you this: worrying about your story only messes it up.
Think about it, right now you probably spend most of your time worrying about your story and how it will sound in the end, so much so that by the end of your life, you’ll probably just be remembered as the worrisome kid. You spend most of your time worrying about your story; meanwhile, your time on Earth is passing you by. Every moment, more and more of the story is written out and getting closer to its end. The same thing you’re worried about is what’s passing you by. If people like us don’t change, the title to this story won’t be “The Spectacular Adventures of ________” but something more like “How to Waste Your Life Away with Worry.”
We are never patient. We compare. We make mistakes and then never forgive ourselves for them. We shame ourselves for missing certain life benchmarks. We worry, worry, worry, completely ignoring the fact that there has been a story already laid out for us. And the cool thing about this story is that all we have to do is subscribe to it. This story is called God’s Plan. And in God’s plan, He is the author, and we are the characters in this story.
In this story, God works everything out for our good (Romans 8:28). In this story, we are never left nor forsaken (Hebrews 13:5-6). In this story, we are more than conquerors through Christ (Romans 8:37). In this story, no weapon formed against us shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17). In this story, we fear it never has to be an option (2 Timothy 1:7). In this story, no matter what happens, when it happens, no matter our mistakes, no matter our flaws – we win (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Enough with the big analogy. Let me just say this very clearly for everyone to read: Please stop worrying about your life and your legacy. When you serve the God I serve, He goes before you to make the crooked way straight and is the one upholding you every time you fall. You may not be where you want to be in life, but as long as you are subscribing to God’s Plan, you will not miss a beat. Do you hear me? You will miss nothing.
