God Stories: Sharing Life with Others | Blogs for Christian Living
Everyone enjoys stories. We watch them on TV and in the movies, read them in books, and see them in the theater. When families get together, it is common to tell stories of the past. Do you have some favorite family stories?
Our daughters and soon-to-be son (we skip the “in-law” portion) were all home for Christmas. As we sat around the table eating great food, we got to share life. We shared stories of the past. Stories that were familiar and some new ones. With every story, the kids get to know more about their parents, and hopefully a better view of how God has worked throughout the years to grow us to where we are today.
Relationships
Stories share facts and events, but some of the best ones are really about relationship. Our lives are filled with interactions with other people. My favorite stories are about God journeying with us.
The Bible is full of stories about God walking in relationship with His creation. In Genesis, we see the Lord walking daily with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Story after story God interacts with his children all the way through to Revelation where we see Him reclaiming the earth for all eternity.
The Lord doesn’t need us, but He greatly desires us. He wants to be a part of our daily life, every moment and detail. Sometimes we get it, and other times, we completely miss Him. Through each interaction, we live a story.
Lessons
Stories can be entertaining, encouraging, enlightening, or exhilarating. In most stories, there is a lesson to be learned. Things we should or shouldn’t do, ways to respond to situations, and spiritual insights of man and God.
God stories provide encouragement to keep going in our faith journey. We are able to lift each other up through our stories. I’m able to see hope where I otherwise would see despair because of what others have gone through and their willingness to share.
I’d posit that many of us are fairly good about teaching our kids Scripture, but too many of us don’t talk about what God has done in our life. We aren’t very good at telling our God stories. There are so many important life lessons that others need to learn from our experiences. We need to be telling about the many things that God is doing in and through our life. Sharing our stories will help build the faith of others and strengthen our own faith as we recount the goodness and faithfulness of God in our own life.
Tell your story
Joel 1:3 “Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation.”
We often think that our story is insignificant or doesn’t have enough meaning to be shared. Don’t discount your story. I’ve found that the stories I think have less meaning often are the ones that have the greater impact for others.
Some of the harder stories to tell are the ones which involve my failures. It requires a willingness to look foolish in the eyes of others. That’s hard. We prefer to tell about our great exploits and conquests. However, the world needs to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly.
I probably can tell more stories of failure than success. Times when I missed the mark; when I failed to hear and do what God said; times I put myself before others; when I got angry instead of showing love. I’m an imperfect man with room for improvement.
When we are willing to humble ourselves and tell about our failures, God is able to lift up others. I’m a son that is greatly loved by my Father in Heaven, and as such, I’m not a failure. Other people need to hear that they are not a failure just because they fail. They need to know the redemption of our Savior, and some will only hear about the Lord through our stories.
What God stories do you have to share with others? If you are willing to share, please email them to me at mark@bluefirelegacy.org. Find someone that you can tell your stories. God will be glorified if you are willing to tell about Him and how he has been working in your life.
You can listen to some of our God Stories here.
