Dealing with Turndowns


I’ve been in the publishing industry a lot of years. Truthfully if I wasn’t sure what I was doing was what God wanted me to be doing I would have been out the door a long time ago. I love what I do, but the cycle of turndowns, rejections, and finding the right publisher fit gets tedious and old. You can easily find yourself on a spiritual and emotional roller coaster that can wear you out and suck the life out of you if you let it.

Truthfully turndowns don’t get to me as much as they used to. Unless it’s a publishing house or a connection I’ve invested a lot of time with, typically I don’t care much anymore. I understand the business is just that a business and the choices aren’t personal. Often it’s just about finding the right fit for the right project, etc. etc. However, yesterday was one of those connections that I had invested a lot of time and effort in. I don’t need to go into specifics but this one hurt.

As I found myself slipping into a pity party mode, and running on the same tracks of the coaster ride that I used to know so well, I found that this time it was different. I had people around me reminding me of everything God had done in the situation, and everything I already knew he was doing. Again I found God speaking to me of the promises He’s given me. While it was a fight for a few hours not to go to the pity party pit, I found the hope of what I know to be true speaking louder than all the doubts that swirled around my head. Sure I had a couple hours of tears, but I’m back because though crying may be in the night, joy comes in the morning (Psalms 30:5)

One of my favorite books on the planet, that I think every believer should read next to the Bible is God’s Creative Power by Charles Capps. On page 148 there is a prayer I proclaim over my life regularly based off the scripture in Eph 4:23. “My mind is renewed by the Word of God; therefore I forbid thoughts of failure and defeat to inhabit my mind.”

We all face situations that make us want to cry, jump on the twisting descending spiral of a pity party, and run away from what we know God has called us to do. But in those moments I’ve learned over the course of numerous turndowns you have to put the brakes on your emotions. Don’t get me wrong take some time to grieve, but bounce back. There is too much destiny on your life to stay in the pit for long. Remember that even Joseph had a pit experience, but like Joseph God can take you from the pit to the palace in one day!

Remember God has awesome plans for your life. Get excited.





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