And it's not because I am super cool or I traveled somewhere no one has ever been and took pictures that I want to show you, or whatever else. It's because...because it's my story. And honestly, that is enough.
But usually we don't believe it's enough. It's just my life - who cares? I'm broken and make mistakes, do embarrassing things, have some laughs. Not storybook worthy. But it is. Life is precious. Life is a miracle. The God of the Universe, for one, cares about every step that I take.
But He already knows my story. More of it than I do, actually. So if it's not about telling the story to the One we really know cares, then what is it about? Two things, I think.
1. When you tell your story it changes you. It affects you. My favorite counselor told me that the more you speak things out loud, the less power they have over you. As someone coming from an abusive relationship, there were(are) so many things and secrets and words that were spoken over me that hold power. And you know what? The devil loves when I stay silent. When I keep it to myself, and just relive it in my darkest moments. Sit in the corner and just play the tapes over and over in my mind. That's how you come to believe the lies. You repeat them to yourself instead of speaking them out. When you put to words your most traumatic experiences, your worst fears, your deepest insecurities - you give them a chance to be set free. If they stay in the deep dark corners of a locked trunk then they will sit and rot and infect the other junk around them. But if you open them up - shed light on them - you have a chance to let them go. And it's certainly not as easy as that - but the journey there is worth it.
Setting fears and lies free is a process. But I've found my counselor's statement to hold very true. Once I started speaking the things that were happening behind closed doors, they got just a little less scary. As I shared them with a few trusted people, I gave those dear friends a chance to speak truth over the many lies I had come to believe.
People can't support you, love you, encourage you, offer a shoulder to cry on, or a warm latte on a bad day if they don't even know you're struggling.
Once you start sharing your story you'll see...healing is usually right around the corner.
2. When you tell your story it changes other people. This is where most of us shake our heads and say no way could my story have an impact on someone else. Yeah they might feel empathetic or sad for a minute but it's not really going to change their life. But what if it could?
Think of all the stories people have told you. Did any of them change you? Change your perspective on a tough issue you were struggling with? Give you hope that you didn't have before? Put a face to a crisis and suddenly you're moved to action?
God is the most magnificent story-teller. He tells stories about ALL kinds of people. Strong, weak, wounded, broken, arrogant, faithful, obedient, disobedient...and these stories are important. They change us. And the best part is that God is a God of redemption. So it's not just about brokenness or sin or even following the rules. IT - the ultimate story - is about God's saving grace. About Jesus' work on the cross. Shalom. Wholeness. And that is how all of our stories ultimately end. We have the chance to accept His grace.
The especially cool part about this is that we can see little glimpses of that bigger storyline in our everyday experiences. In the beautiful moments of joy, and in the hard ones. And that is why we tell our stories.
That is why I want to tell my story. (And why I want to hear yours.) Why I believe it has power. Why people need to hear it.
Because the story I have to tell is not really about me at all. Yeah, it's my story, so I'm in it. But I am not the focus. The focus is what God has done and is doing and will do through a seriously imperfect child of His. I think He wants to use my story to change other people, and to change me.
I don't know how, where, why, when, what...but I think everyone has a story that people need to hear.
Will you share yours? Maybe not today or tomorrow or even two years from now. Maybe you share it with me, or maybe you share it with someone you haven't even met yet. However it happens, please know that it has power.
Power to change. To encourage, inspire, convict, humble, relieve, excite. Maybe all of the above. But you'll never know if you don't share it.
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