The Deadline Is Not the Assignment

This has been a busy and stressful week. Much of that stress has centered around my book. For months, I have been writing, revising, praying, and preparing for an October release. I believed this book was an assignment God placed in my hands an opportunity to share how He has shown up in the ordinary places of my life with extraordinary grace.

The publishing process, however, has moved more slowly than I expected. Some responses and next steps are still pending, and October is getting closer. I have found myself checking my messages, looking at the calendar, and counting the days that remain.

In the quiet of my frustration, I began asking, “Lord, if You gave me this assignment, why has the way forward been so difficult?” Then another question surfaced: “Is this still what You want me to do at this particular time?”

This is not simply a project I am trying to complete. These pages hold pieces of my life, places where I have been broken, formed, and carried by grace. Writing them required me to revisit experiences I once kept private and trust that God could use my testimony to encourage someone else. Perhaps that is why the delays have weighed so heavily on me. I still believe God gave me the story to share. What I am questioning now is not the purpose of the book, but whether I have placed my own timetable around that purpose.

God did not immediately remove the obstacles, but He used a conversation with my family to help me see the week differently. What I had been viewing only as frustration might also be an invitation to trust Him more deeply.

That conversation brought me to the two blind men in Matthew 9. They followed Jesus, crying out for mercy. When they reached the house, Jesus asked, “Believe ye that I am able to do this?” They answered, “Yea, Lord.” Jesus then touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith be it unto you.” The blind men did not wait until they could see the road before following Jesus. They followed while they were still in the dark.

But something else in their story speaks to me: Jesus did not ask whether they believed everything would happen according to their preferred timing. He asked whether they believed He was able. That distinction is important. My faith cannot rest in the book being released in October. It must rest in God’s ability to use it whenever and however He chooses.

I cannot say that every obstacle is a test from God. Some walls may require patience. Some may call for a different approach, an honest conversation, or a clearer next step. Others may be God’s way of redirecting us. But every wall gives us an opportunity to ask where our trust is resting.

Faith does not require me to ignore deadlines or avoid necessary conversations. I can trust God and still ask questions. I can pray and still make wise decisions. I can remain committed to the assignment while releasing my hold on the timetable.

As this week ends, I do not know whether everything will come together for an October release. But I am beginning to understand that the deadline is not the assignment. The assignment is to faithfully share the story God has entrusted to me. The date may change, but the purpose does not have to be lost.

Perhaps you are also waiting for something to move forward. You may be wondering whether a delay means you misunderstood God. I understand that question. For now, I will take the next wise step and trust the outcome to the One who sees what I cannot.

Pearl's Prayer:

Lord, You see the assignment, the delays, and the questions I carry. Give me wisdom to know when to wait, when to speak, and when to take another path. Keep my faith rooted in You rather than in a date or another person’s response. I believe You are able. Help me trust Your purpose, even when I do not understand Your timing. In Jesus' name, Amen.

I am The Vessel, God is The Grace