Birthday Letters and Symphonies

Posted on by Colleen James

When I was in high school, I often worked on assignments in advance, sometimes having up to three days’ worth of homework done at a time. I liked getting ahead and knowing I wouldn’t fall behind in school if I were to get sick and had to miss a day. The further ahead I got, the better I felt.

Nowadays, I don’t seem to get much done with little ones in the house, much less things in advance. Nonetheless, I still have that mentality of work before play, and I value productivity probably more than I should, causing me to continue to struggle, in part, with God’s timing for me.

Recently, I finished a project, and as I think of the possibilities of this finished task and other projects I’d like to start this year, I wonder why I didn’t do some of these things until now. A large part of me feels like I’m lagging behind. But then I think about how pride and the pressure to consistently exceed peoples’ expectations would have become a pattern in my life had I accomplished these things at a younger age. That, or I would have believed myself to be a failure early on when things didn’t go well, so I’m thankful that God graciously protected me against either of these thought patterns for all these years.  I’m also encouraged in knowing that God has hand selected the specific assignments He has for me to be completed at specific, God-ordained times.

For, as we know,

…we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

I recently read a letter that I wrote to myself over a year ago. It’s something I’ve been doing for more than a decade. I write a letter within the first three weeks of January, considering the possibilities of that year and encouraging myself to have a godly perspective regardless of what may come. Then, on my birthday the following year, I read that letter and reminisce over all that transpired throughout those twelve months.

This year, as I have been considering God’s timing regarding the good works He has prepared for me, I was encouraged by the following words that I penned to myself last year:

God knows the timing, and He makes no mistake. Just like each note belongs where it does in a symphony,  each God-ordained moment of your life belongs where it does too. Just trust and pray.”

I especially like this idea of a symphony when I think of what Paul wrote in Romans, as follows:

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

Romans 6:13 ESV

Although I don’t believe that Paul was speaking about musical instruments here, the idea certainly holds true for music too. We truly are instruments that can be used for righteousness or unrighteousness,  and when we place ourselves in God’s hands as instruments to be used for His glory, He creates such beautiful music out of our lives.  It’s not to say that the musical notes won’t sound dissonant to us at times or that the timing won’t seem quite right to our ears. Nonetheless, if we can trust Him as the composer and master conductor, we will be confident that the part we play in this great symphony will blend beautifully with all the other instruments and all the other parts when all is said and done. We might not hear the symphony with our own human ears right now, but someday we will. And we will see why each note and each rest in every measure was necessary, resulting in praise to God. In the meantime, let’s trust Him with each note, living in worship to Him.

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Published by Colleen James

12 thoughts on “Birthday Letters and Symphonies”

  1. I love this! And, I’m really impressed that you were days ahead on high school homework. That definitely wasn’t me. 😆
    Love the symphony analogy. And what you wrote to yourself last year. That’s very encouraging! It all comes together just as God has planned for each of us, like a symphony. Think of all the rehearsals and years of practice to get ready for that symphony. Thanks for the encouragement! God bless you, Colleen.

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    1. Thanks, Meghan! The timing of that letter to myself was really cool too! I love how God works all things together. And that is so true! Lots and lots of practice and discipline and rehearsals. I love that idea! Thank you, Meghan! And God bless you!

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  2. Happy Birthday, dear friend! 🎂🎉 Music is a sweet analogy for life. I liked this quote I found when researching for my “Unhurried Living” book… “The music in a song isn’t just the notes. It’s the space between them. A song without rests, without timing, isn’t a song. It isn’t music”. God is the perfect conductor and knows the perfect timing, the rhythms, for our life song. I may not always like it 😊, but I can trust that He knows what is good for me so much better than I do. As I’ve aged, I’ve developed new likes and preferences. I hope they are better aligned with His. Hugs to you. Keep writing (when you can! 💛).

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    1. Beautiful quote! I think I’m going to have to copy that to my journal. And it’s true. We don’t necessarily have to like it but still trust God through it. Now, about this book, did you get it published?! Please let me know! And you too, Terry! I love reading your work!

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  3. Happy Birthday dear Colleen. I love how you like to finish things in advance, I like to do things like that too. I love what you wrote last year in your letter. It was so beautifully penned and seemed just right for now as a beautiful reminder.
    Learning to do things in God’s timing is a lesson I have been learning too. There is this urge to want to jump ahead. Love the symphony analogy. I often remind myself to just show up and be faithful with what is right in front of me rather than thinking of next, this helps me to focus on what God has placed for me in this season.

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      1. I am well, Summer break has come to a close. I am happy to have a more structured routine in my days now. I enjoyed the break and always look forward to it, but I must say that it is such a struggle to keep my time with God consistent during the break.
        How is life with two little ones going?

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      2. I can understand what you are saying. I am going through the Bible chronologically right now, and I am definitely going at a slow pace because it’s too hard to adhere to a specific plan for that with little ones. And that’s okay. This is a season. Someday I’ll have more time. Thanks for asking, Manu. God bless you!

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