"Timing
is everything." How many times have you heard that? It's a phrase
that rolls off our tongues. Yet, God's timing, in particular, can be
incredibly frustrating...
Two
yet-to-be published Christian romance authors -- we'll call them Sandy
and Jan -- work side by side, critiquing, encouraging, and learning
together. Then one day it happens. Sandy gets the call. She sold a
manuscript! The two authors rejoice and claim a joint victory. For a
while, all goes well. It's only a matter of time, they tell each
other. But days turn into months and months to years. Sandy becomes
multi-multi-published.
Jan
begins to despair. She continues to critique, encourage, and learn,
but some days it's more difficult than anything she's ever done. Sandy
reminds her gently that it's just a matter of timing. The words sound
hollow to Jan. She even wonders if Sandy secretly believes she has
more talent than Jan. Finally, overcome with a maelstrom of emotions,
Jan cries out to God. She gives her work completely to Him.
Peace
settles over Jan's life for the most part, though she does continue to
critique, encourage, and learn, because she has the most glorious
audience of all now. Whatever He chooses for her to write -- whether
it be the church bulletin, a sympathy letter, or a best-selling
crossover novel -- she wants to give it her best.
Sandy
and Jan grow very close again, critiquing, encouraging, and learning.
Sandy is happy writing Christian romance, but she's always wanted to
write women's fiction. She and Jan each have a manuscript geared
toward that genre, but everyone wants to buy romance from Sandy. .
.and no one wants to buy anything from Jan.
Then
one day it happens. Jan gets the call. She has sold a women's fiction
manuscript! The two authors rejoice and claim a joint victory. For a
while, all goes well. It's only a matter of time, they tell each
other. But days turn into months and months to years. Jan becomes
multi-multi-published in the women's fiction genre.
Sandy
begins to despair. . .
Are
you beginning to despair? I know I do sometimes. But then I remember
Abram. He was seventy-five years old when God promised to make him a
great nation. Eleven years later, he and his wife began to despair . .
. Ishmael was born. But this wasn't the result of God's promise.
Another thirteen years passed. And guess what Abram found out? He
wouldn't even be the same person when God's promise was fulfilled. God
gave him a new name.
Then,
twenty-five years after God first made him the promise . . .God's
servant formerly known as Abram became the father of a great and
mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth were blessed in him.
Timing
is everything. Especially when it's God's.
