June Perspective | Your Story – A Message to Tell

Every person has a story. We all have a message. Everyone experiences trouble. 

Some stories may be a bit more disastrous than others, so we attempt to come up with answers and reasons for these tragedies. Sometimes we may bring on trouble through our own wrong choices. It’s also true that we live in a fallen world, and experience consequences of the evil around us or someone else’s bad choices. But, in all of these, we have a Sovereign God who can intervene, prevent, or even mysteriously allow these troubles in our lives that we may not understand in this life.

If we look at the Cross, Jesus could have summoned the Angels of Heaven, but He didn’t. Instead, He despised the shame of it all for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). Perhaps the two most important things to understand are that you and I happen to be that very joy and the Cross happens to be the eternal purpose He came to earth for.

It’s foolish to think we can avoid suffering in our own stories when Jesus Himself told us that in this world we would have trouble. Could it be that our troubles are meant to work out the eternal purposes in our own stories?

There are troubles of all sorts—we certainly need not look for them! Broken relationships, broken dreams, broken finances, and broken health. There are physical, emotional, and spiritual setbacks, disappointments, and misunderstandings of all sorts. There may be the death of a family member(s) or a close friend. These troubles will look different to each of us, but Jesus’ words of encouragement remain the same. “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world”  (John 16:33).

Another version says, “Be of good cheer!” Jesus is telling us that we can cheer up because He has brought us the victory on the Cross. Victory over sin and death. Eternally free from the condemnation of sin. He paid for it all. Warren Wiersbe says, “We are overcomers because He has first overcome for us”.  God can and will transform our sorrow into joy IF we let Him.

Overcome or Overcomer?

Every believer is either an overcomer or overcome.  “And this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). Spurgeon once said, “God doesn’t give us overcoming life—He gives us life as we overcome”. I believe this refers to the struggle in our trial that is necessary to grab hold of life through His precious promises.

When I lost my three daughters I went through a long period of deep pain, grief, and struggle. Life was profoundly intense for a long while. As things began to appear somewhat normal I thought, okay that didn’t just happen to be over and now I get on with my little life. No way! If God used it in the first stages to declare the gospel of His love, why not now? I realized that God allowed it to happen with eternal purposes in mind.

All of our stories are a part of the message He’s given us to tell as well as to live out. He’s the author but gives us the opportunity to be co-authors in writing the rest of our stories as we discover what we are to say and how we are to say it.

We want the pain to be over quickly, but if we rush through it we might miss some of the heart lessons He wants to teach us in our brokenness. As we allow Him to rip away our old ways of thinking about ourselves, our circumstances, and who He is, He will make all things new, giving us eternal perspectives.

We will know Him better and understand ourselves in a fresh way as He reveals new depths of His love for us. If we listen for Him to speak His words of life, we will learn to trust Him in new ways because of this love. We can hear fresh truths as we spend time in intimate prayer and reading His Word. These truths become nuggets of hope we will have to share with others.

Stepping Stones or Stumbling Blocks?

Our trouble, grief, and struggles are a gift as they reveal our need for more of Him. 

Troubles are an opportunity to focus on what really matters, but the choice is ours. The circumstances God allows into our lives can be viewed in one of two ways: Stepping stones or stumbling blocks. Stepping stones on a journey to the high places of His eternal love—or stumbling blocks that destroy our relationship with Him and others. If we linger in the negative emotions of trouble (grief), we numb our positive emotions and close our hearts to love. This unhealthy response creates a stumbling block where we fall into a life of isolation and loneliness.

Although my heart still aches for my girls, my love for them compels me to long for Heaven. I know that’s where they are. That longing has become a stepping stone to press on and travel my journey here the best I can; sharing with others the comfort I have received.

By choosing to view our unwelcome and painful experiences as stepping stones we are enabled to share and participate in an even greater story than our own. The other alternative is to view our trouble as a stumbling block. This opens the door for the enemy to use our troubles as a weapon in his hand to steal, kill and destroy by silencing our voice. But either way, we are telling a story. What story do you want to tell?Let’s intentionally agree with, and boldly speak God’s truths to ourselves and others, and we will abort the plans of our enemy, the devil, and invite others to LIFE. 

How are you letting God use the story that He’s given you? Have you allowed it to be your message of LIFE?

Remember that you are eternally loved. There was no beginning and there will be no end to God’s love for you! I’d love to hear from you, so please scroll down and leave me a comment.