Each of us has a unique story with God. It was written before you were ever born according to Psalm 139. I adore the idea that God doesn’t pen the same tale for everyone.
Everyone’s book of life is individual, distinctive and beautiful.
As an author and blogger, I am quite used to the writing process. Ideas come together and eventually find their way onto pages. I tend to create an initial draft, set it aside for a few days and then refine. After that process has been repeated several times, it’s off to the editors for their trained eyes to review.
A good editor understands the heart of their author.
They have the beautiful ability to take what you’ve created and make it shine—but rarely by adding to it. Their gift is usually to delete what you’ve thought was so necessary or upgrade the language. And in doing so, the message gains greater clarity.
I can’t always say that I’ve enjoyed that part of the process, but over time, I’ve come to recognize its value—and to realize how much it mirrors God’s ways with us.
As Graham has often said, each of us has a story and each of us is on a journey with God. So much of our Brilliant community is about discovering, hearing and sharing those narratives. But often, we find ourselves unhappy with how the tale of our lives is unfolding. It’s encouraging to understand that every season is a chapter, not the entire book. Just because life is not as we wish it to be now, doesn’t mean that it must remain that way forever.
But what if the upgrade to our story with God is not about needing more, but allowing an editing process to occur?
What old perceptions and expectancies of our circumstances need to be deleted?
What language needs to be refined to better reflect our growing understanding of the true nature of God?
What ways of seeing our lives and ourselves needs to be edited out once and for all because they no longer reflect who we are and are becoming in Christ?
Which patterns of thinking about God, ourselves and others needs to be removed so that the focus of our contemplations is aligned more with God’s good thoughts towards us?
What fears, skepticism and uncertainties have we needlessly penciled in that Jesus has already erased?
Instead of asking the Holy Spirit what we need more of, maybe it’s time to ask Him what should go.
He’s a gentle and kind editor. Sure, He has a red pen, but it’s filled with redemption, not criticism. What we often think is so essential, He perceives as limiting.
Your story with God is too valuable to contain anything but the Psalm 139 words that He has written about who you really are and who He really is.
How will you partner with God in the editing process?
What do you want to edit out with Him?
What new, brilliant thoughts is He waiting to write in those spaces?
Let us know what you discover. We’d love to hear.
Allison Bown – a Creative Partner, Trainer, Writer and Strategist at Brilliant Perspectives and the author of “Joyful Intentionality”
P.S. Graham Cooke and Allison Bown have recently collaborated on the Weekly Mentoring Series for Brilliant TV: “Story and Journey.” These exclusive BTV sessions not only focus on your story and journey with God, but understanding His story and journey with you. Check it out with our 7 Day Free Trial!
