Do You Know Your Story?
Do you know your own story?
At some point, we all ask, "Why am I here? What’s my purpose? Why did these things happen to me?”
But rarely do we know the answers.
We can feel lost—drifting about aimlessly, in an ocean with no rudder, not sure where we came from or where we’re going. But it’s not only our stories we feel lost in, we can be confused about God’s story too.
We go to church, and hear a sermon, and know that God is great and Jesus is good—but we don’t know how that impacts our lives. We don’t see how our stories intersect. Can God really speak into my disappointment and worry? Can the Gospel really affect my marital conflict? Does Jesus really have anything to do with my hurts and hopes?
We lack confidence in our direction, not knowing where we’re going. We lack confidence in our stories, not knowing whether we can overcome our past. We lack confidence in our God, not knowing if He can really transform our lives.
But we don’t have to.
We serve a God who is bigger than our wildest dreams—and a God who is in the business of restoring all things. Though we may think our stories are a knotted-up ball of random twists and loose ends, God has a plan and a purpose in all of it. He is writing His story through all of time—of His love for us from the beginning, of His plan to defeat sin and death through the cross, of His sanctifying work in us, and of His eventual return when He will come to claim His throne and make all right again.
You are part of a bigger story. Because of the fall, we have common struggles, but because of Jesus, we can have restoration and redemption. But if you don’t know God’s greater story, you’ll never be able to understand yours.
Without understanding the Fall and how sin entered in and threw a wrench into the operations of every part of the world, you won’t understand why you struggle and hurt. Without understanding how Jesus came to pay for our sins and restore us to God, you won’t be able to shake your guilt and unease about whether you’re enough. Without understanding how God is daily restoring and redeeming His people, you’ll never see how He can use your story to minister to others. And without understanding how Jesus will return to reign over a kingdom of righteousness, you’ll be discouraged by the current world, and think that things will never be better.
The stories that you tell matter. They answer what your purpose is, and what you should do next. But you need to know the bigger story first. Once you understand your reality and God’s reality, then you are empowered—empowered to see God is glorious, empowered to let the Gospel touch every part of your life, and empowered to serve those around you. No longer are you drifting aimlessly in the ocean—the engine of God’s purpose is now speeding you across the sea.
God is inviting you to truly experience Him, and to know His love as He reframes, restores, and redeems your story. He wants to transform how you live and love. His story is wondrous—and He wants us to be a part of it.
Want to have a better understanding of your story, and how God can grow you through it? Pick up a copy of Restore, Changing How We Live and Love, releasing Sept. 14th.