The Worst (and Best) Timeline For Everything

A few weeks ago, I read an email from Christian Author, Heather Thompson Day’s weekly newsletter called “Friday Night Light” (Side note: I’ve been subscribed to her newsletter for awhile now and she has some compelling and thought provoking things to say about the Christian Faith). The newsletter was titled “The Worst Possible Timeline.” Her opening statement was one of the most hilariously raw, real, true statements I’ve heard in a long time.

“This has to be the worst possible timeline to build something in. And yet for many of us, this is exactly what God has called us to do.” — Heather Thompson Day

She goes on to explain that we’re dealing complete chaos right now. The economy is nearly shot, filling your gas tank for your car means nearly taking out a small loan, and we’re unstable globally. Okay, I’m exaggerating a bit but things are BAD. To quite a few, the worst it’s ever been. Face value, building something doesn’t seem like a wise idea especially when we’re watching things fall apart in real time. Yet, in the middle of the chaos, God is still calling us to do something; to build something. 

While her opening statement made me tilt my head back and release a quick, loud laugh that should be only heard in the confines of my own home, a few sobering and serious questions flashed across my mind to think about:

• For the new entrepreneur starting their business, how can one get started when seems like the market is saturated, prices of goods and other services have gone up? 

• For the up and coming artist who still believes in capturing the TRUE essence of creativity, is it still possible to create when artificial intelligence (AI) is running circles around human creativity while producing and creating bigger, faster, and more lifelike art in real time? 

• For the married couples wanting to start a family, is it really a good time when it seems like laws, wages, and resources are anything but “family oriented?”

The answer: If God has called you to build and start and there’s a pressing urgency in your heart and spirit to do so, it doesn’t matter if the world is on fire. It’s still the right time. But let’s take it step further because this answer might not simply be enough.

As I was reading the newsletter and being encouraged how stepping out on faith is always a good idea in a bad time, it was as if God was giving His input amplifying the many reasons we cannot wait on building what He’s calling us to do.

Here’s a few reminders and revelations that I got:

Worldly chaos cannot and will not stop God’s plans and from Him getting the glory. 

Your story and mine are already written. In this era and time that you and I are living in, God knows the beginning and end and has already factored in all the turmoil, chaos, wars, high gas prices, and economic uncertainties with you fulfilling God’s plan for your life. If you’re in Christ, absolutely nothing can stop His plans and from happening. IT WILL COME TO PASS no matter what the world is doing. If God has the world under control and letting things happen on Earth, why wouldn’t He do the same concerning you and the plans He has for you?

Sometimes the worst times to build are often the best. 

I would imagine that when Moses was called to build the ark in Genesis 6, it was the WORST time to build one. Think about it. A man building a boat that might have rivaled Royal Caribbean’s newest Oasis Class Ships had never seen rain before let alone a flood that would completely submerge Earth. All Moses knew was the hot sun and desert. He didn’t know when the flood was going to happen. Yet, he stepped out on obedience anyway. Why? Because the flood DID happen. 

In the thick of adversity, God gives the grace and endurance to help build something that will last. 

It’s true. Nothing lasts forever, at least here on Earth anyway. However, life and the world has shown that what’s built will either be torn down and forgotten or still standing while transcending time and generations that will outlive us. Also, how and WHO we build with, most importantly, determines how long it lasts.

What’s built for and with God in the thick of adversity has no choice but to stand and last. The adversity and trial by fire gives a special purity and wonder that could never be made with human hands. The grace and endurance that God gives for you and I to build for Him will be born and forged out of His glory and greatness. It will be a message to say that you and I didn’t fold under pressure but persevered. The work and even the mistakes made were all part of the bigger testimony that will be remembered for generations. 

God’s grace and endurance as we built will give hope and light to an increasingly dark world. It may be whispered about but it will won’t be forgotten especially during a time where all hope should be lost. 

Something for you to think about...

God is not bound by good or bad timelines. His track record has proven that He can certainly work in any season, timeline or era. It may not feel the right time to build or create what He’s called to do but...will it ever be? And if not now, then when? If God has called us to build or start something today, even in the midst of chaos, there’s not time like the present if He’s with us. So, What are you called to build?

Let me know below.