OUCH...I FELT LIKE CRYING

When my eyes scanned the e-mail, I felt like crying. It said, “You did a knockout job on the article.” From the editor of a Christian magazine, it referenced my first article for a nationally known publication. The e-mail also informed me of a delay. The article would not run until the next issue. My joy made patience easy.

A month went by. And then nearly another month. Finally--the editor’s next message arrived.

After a quick read, I felt like crying again. This time, from mountain top exhilaration, I plunged to the valley. As I read, my brain interpreted the message to say: “We can’t use your article, it’s not even fixable.” In reality the editor’s words had expressed more kindness. Somewhat consoling. Still, I had just been dumped.

Decision time.

Right away I made a choice to lockdown my emotions. Only God’s view could correctly manage the situation, not a tangled emotional mess. These words from the Bible offered godly direction. And personal inner strength. “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”

I focused my mind on the extreme challenges of the editor’s job and recognized how awkward it must have been for him to radically shift his appraisal of the article. The Bible adds: “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

I prayed for the editor. In my correspondence to him, my objective was to avoid adding any weight to his already burdensome job. And more mind-battles had to be fought to maintain a godly attitude.

Bottom line. This is how God, through His written Word, tells us to act. It’s not optional.

In all situations, focus on obeying God.