If you have experienced anything difficult in life, it's vulnerable to share the experience. If you have messed up, fallen down or made bad choice after bad choice, it can be shameful and embarrassing to talk about.
But the world needs your voice. Someone needs to hear your story.
The power of stories has been evident since the dawn of creation. Our stories are powerful. They remind us that we’re not alone. However, they take courage to share.
Lessons we are taught are embodied in a person’s story. Think about Aesop's Fables. We learned moral lessons from the Tortoise and the Hare. But then look at history. Historical facts are filled with stories! Lessons of those who have conquered and triumphed or fell down defeated. The story of one person's life moved an entire nation because Adolf Hitler decided to write it. Imagine what the stories of Godly people would do for a nation? How would the world be changed if you and I as Christian's told our stories- the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Stories can be manipulated to share only what we want to be shared. Thank God the Bible records it all. But my question for you is what story do you want to be told of your life? What do you want to tell others? That painful experience? That embarrassing fail? We need to hear them not to shame, but to show that God is greater than anything. You might not feel like you're living in triumph but that's because your story is unfolding. You don't need a perfect ending to share about who God is and what He has done in and through and in spite of you.
As a Christian, it is my hope to show stories of faith and triumph to inspire others in following God. Yet as I have progressed in my journey, the need for transparency and vulnerability is more important than ever. We live in an age of Instagram. An age of constant perfection. An age where our success is measured by how great we look or what we’re doing at all times. We spend hours searching for the right filter. Looking up the perfect caption. We obsessively check our phone to see the number of hearts increase.
In contradiction, there has been an increase of all decency being removed in the in the name of “I’m just being real.” We see people exposing all for in this pursuit. This includes an abandonment of morals and common consideration.
These two opposing views are difficult for a Christian to navigate. As the church breaks away from tradition, we find ourselves in an age of authenticity. Yet I don’t know if we fully understand what that means. We ask people to bring their broken and raw selves. Then when they do we either try to patch them up or awkwardly pat them on the back and say they’re okay when they’re clearly not.
Neither is a good solution. Our hearts are genuine but our tactics need help. So what do we need?
This is my proposal: We learn to share our stories. Raw and Vulnerable. With Power and Victory.
In lieu of conferences, workshops and seminars, we need stories. We need the power of stories to come. Transparent and real stories of struggle and triumph. Stories we can relate to that empower us to navigate the murky waters of life. Stories that warn us in living color instead of the black and white rules we tend to disregard. Stories that call us to greater things.
For those of you who buck at this thought, consider this: Jesus was the greatest storyteller ever. His lessons were parables (stories) that contained truth. It wisdom and understanding to see the point of the story. It was a great mind-bending experience when He finally explained it fully. The Bible itself contains countless stories! Stories of triumph and tragedy. Struggle and surrender. Please don’t discount the power of a story. Don’t discount the power of your story. In Revelation 12:11 it says,
“And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.”
No word in the Bible is there without reason. It was important for John to write “....by their testimony.” Testimony is another word for story. Our stories contain power.
While you're living, your story is still being written. Memorialize it. Save it for generations to come to learn but the good and the hard things. We need your story.
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