God: The Perfect Author Of Our Stories

This past week, I’ve been working on writing something for a “character meet & greet challenge”. Basically, some writing friends and I are each writing a little story about what would happen if we met one of the characters in our stories. 

I was particularly excited about this one, since I was “meeting” my character Raelevyn, or Rae, the one I’ve actually modeled a lot like myself. 

But as I was writing, I had to stop myself and reread a couple of lines I had written after I realized what I said: 

“I know who you are, Raelevyn. I know every thought, all of your desires, your biggest fears, and everything in between. But more than that… I know your future. It’s a good one, I promise. I only give the very best to the ones I create.”

That caught my stomach and something churned inside of me. Is this how God feels about me? I wondered. Well, I’ve discovered something: Yes, it is!

 Jeremiah 29:11 says, ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’

When I created the idea for Rae’s story, complete with a plot, themes, character arcs, and more, I kept one thing in mind: I wanted her to change—for the better—by the time the story was over, and I’m adding everything she needs to do that. Each character, event, and plot twist are all working toward that goal of a positive change.

Rae’s worldview, desires, and actions should be drastically different on the last page than on page number one. 

In a sense, God is like that with us too. He wants to help us become more and more like the way He created us to be, and He helps us every single day! I can speak from personal experience when I say God has brought me on such a journey in my life, and He has been so faithful in always teaching and guiding me.

The longer I’ve been on this path of writing, I’ve begun to see the heart of God towards His children in just a small way that not everyone else can. 

Although I love my fictional characters with human love (which for them is far less than my love extends to my friends, family, and God), God loves His children with perfect love (1 John 4:7-21). 

I have good plans for our characters, when those outcomes really pale in comparison to the great plans God has for us (Jeremiah 29:11).

I think about my characters and their stories when I lie awake in bed, daydream in the shower, or see or hear something that jars my imagination. But God thinks about us 24/7! (Psalm 139:17-18).

I plan out good endings for my characters where they now have a changed perspective on life or morals, and it affects them for the better in some way, shape, or form. But the ending of our story is really just the beginning of a new one– one with God in His home forever! (John 14:2-3).

Sometimes I don’t finish every writing project I start, and some stories go untold, but God Always Finishes What He Starts, and He leaves nothing undone that He has started.

Just from these few examples that I’ve stated, it’s obvious that God loves me exceedingly more than I love my fictional characters (although I like them a lot!), and He has far better plans for me than I could ever dream up for my characters. And if He loves me in that way, then He loves you in that way too, because God doesn’t favor one person over another (Romans 2:11).     

Next time you read a good book or hear a good story, remember this: no matter how much an author may love the character that they’ve created, God loves you way more, and He is the greatest Author of all– He has wonderful plans for you and your story!