Your stories can bring life and hope into someone else’s darkness.
There’s this nagging question thing that keeps slowing me down. I’ll be going along minding my own business, and then BAM! it’s all over me making me wonder about things I thought I had settled.
You know the questions I’m talking about. Questions about God, eternal life, purpose. That kind of stuff. Stuff that I’ve looked at before and thought I’d found my footing about, but then something happens and off I go again. Last year, I watched a movie that sent me on a loop of questions for a week or so. The Impossible. It’s a true story about survival, but it left me wondering how such amazing things can happen with no mention of God. Some of that stuff just couldn’t be a coincidence.
Today my question about God’s silence came back to me. I was sitting in BJ’s eating my cheap slice of pizza and watching people buy tons of stuff in bulk when I couldn’t shake the thought that most of these people may not believe in God. From there I wondered why God doesn’t make his amazing presence undeniably known. Why the silence?
If I stayed dwelling on my questions, I think I might slip away into some fearful vortex of nowhereness. Not that questions are bad. I think the opposite, actually. Asking questions and seeking answers makes this place where I’m standing real, not fake. Until we’ve faced down those questioning fears, we have a hard time moving forward.
Other than the Bible, one thing that I’ve found to help me with my questions is the power of a story.
I can’t deny the story.
Stories of God’s faithfulness during trials. Stories of God’s provision when needs arise. Stories of hope. For every story of heartache and tragedy, there’s a story for healing. When I was in my darkest times, I thought of others who had experienced even worse than I and who still spoke of God’s faithfulness and love. When I had no story of my own, I turned to theirs.
Our stories of God’s deliverance bring answers to badgering doubts. The Hebrews knew this. They passed along stories year after year, so they wouldn’t forget all that God had done for them because evidently an entire sea can be parted and food can rain down from heaven, but people will still forget. They will still have questions.
We live in a world that doesn’t believe and that offers other explanations for our miracles. Sharing our stories with one another and speaking words of faith and truth are paramount. Sometimes I may have to borrow your story to help me through a lonely day or to answer a stray question or two.
So please, share your stories.
Sing them.
Write them down, tattoo them on your arms, and don’t forget.
My questions need your stories, and I bet I’m not the only one.
Toward the end of my day yesterday, I saw a video that I’m having a hard time posting here (sorry about that), and it reminded me of how God works in very tangible ways on a personal level for people. He uses us and our stories instead of a burning bush and a booming voice from the sky. So maybe God isn’t so hidden from those shoppers in BJ’s. Perhaps he’s already shown himself to each one in a very personal way.
Now it would be great for you to watch the video, but I can’t figure out why it’s not working, so I’m going to stop fretting about it and say instead…maybe it’s time for you to share your story with someone else. Maybe there’s someone waiting to hear your words about God’s power and faithfulness. Will you share it?
(Note: Useless video non-link below…but if you want to see it, I’ll post it on my FB wall. Here’s the link for that. Click HERE!
Love this, Mary Beth! Sharing a link to this post on my blog tomorrow 🙂
Thanks Tammie!Keep writing!
[…] I think stories are important. I believe that God put us all here for a purpose and telling our stories is tied up in that purpose. I love the way MB Dahl puts it so eloquently in her post. So, if you will, pull up a chair, pop on over to her blog and read about why The World Needs Your Stories. […]