Futurecasting
In our excitement to make things happen, we can futurecast. That’s defined as the practice of envisioning and forecasting potential future scenarios to inform today’s decisions. I would take away the positive spin. Without God, it’s never wise to presume what will happen in the future.
“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow…Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” (James 4:13-15 NIV)
The problem is…we act like we do control the future.
Companies create business models that state what they will do in six months, a year, even five years from now. If we plan it, it will happen. Or so we think. But that is presuming on the future…and on God.
When I was in the publishing industry, my goal was to acquire the best writers. In human wisdom, I would offer certain authors multi-book contracts—so we could grow their audience over time as well as to prevent other publishers from trying to woo them away for their next book. The problem occurred when the author had one book idea but all parties agreed to a three-book contract. We assumed God would give the writer new ideas in time to hit their future book deadlines. And he might. But he didn’t promise to do that. We were futurecasting based on our hopes and plans.
What kind of presumptions are you making with your creativity?
It’s good to be enthusiastic. It’s not good to run ahead of God in committing to annual or long-term deliverables without first seeking his timing. The goal is to create when he gives us something to say or make. Only then will it have an eternal spark.
This reading was crafted to encourage your pursuit of story and creativity with God. Your donation makes this crowd-funded initiative possible. You can support it via PAYPAL (or by check to Allen Arnold at PO Box 62841, Colorado Springs, CO 80962).
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