Is Your Life in a Rough Draft?

I began writing in my early teens. I might write a short story or poem in one afternoon. Done. Finished. I would recopy it into a hard-cover notebook in my best handwriting. The idea of a rough draft wasn’t something I understood. The idea, thoughts, and then writing were the end for me. When I saw that the story needed improvement, I made a note to do better on the next project. The idea of editing didn’t come to my mind.

Now that I’m older, I can edit, revise, change, or even delete whole sections of my work. I see it as a plus, not a minus. Editing can be hard work, but it’s worth the effort for the improved finished product. How a phrase changes the whole mood of a piece of work can bring tears to my eyes. The polished manuscript creates a secure place for the author and the reader. To know I did my best work during the edit is so satisfying.

Have you ever wondered if you could improve? Could you learn to control that area of your life? A lot of people keep their lives in rough drafts forever. They never pursue higher ground but settle for the way things are.

“This is who I am.” “My whole family acts this way, so I can’t help it.” “I love sweets and can’t live without sugar.” “I’m too old to go to college.” “I don’t have the patience for that.”

These are all rough draft statements. Everyone has challenging areas that need work, but editing that area seems daunting or even impossible. The idea of giving up something or starting something new is scary. What if I fail? What if I can’t do it? These are questions I’ve asked myself before beginning things.

We tell ourselves that this is as good as it gets. Yet, that’s not the truth. If you never revise or edit things in your life, then you are in a rough draft. The beginning but not the polished version. To be fulfilled, we must reach out and edit things that aren’t as they should be. This version is the next stage of the rough draft. We are always in a rough draft until we reach heaven. Still, we must strive to fulfill our purpose, improve, and move in a direction that might sometimes go against our natural inclination to stay in a rough draft of ourselves. Editing our lives can be hard work.

I’ve struggled against change so many times in my life that I can’t count them. Trying to convince myself that it wasn’t necessary. That it didn’t matter. Do I have to be nice to everyone when they cross my path? The truth of the matter is that I did need to work on that area of my attitude.  I still do. I couldn’t remain in a rough draft when God called me to change.

Is God calling you to move past the rough draft version of yourself? Do you have a nagging feeling that something needs to change? Don’t be afraid to do some edits in your life. Embrace the change as the adventure it can be. Hard work won’t kill you but will give you a sense of accomplishment that you’ll never experience if you remain in the rough draft version of yourself. Take a chance and do some edits!