Thursday, August 30, 2012

Stories.

I don't know that I've ever seriously thought long and hard about the people and events described to us in God's Word. I just know they're there. Sure.....I went to Bible school. We studied them. Some of them a lot more or harder than others. And sure, there are always the people I feel I resonate a bit stronger with. The favorite people or stories. Maybe because they have similar personalities or issues or hearts or giftings. Or maybe because they're so different. Whatever the reason, I just always assume they're.....there.

Recently God's been showing me something significant. There are so many people that have lived that could've been spoken about in scripture. So many events to pick from. Even when Jesus walked the earth, He did so much and had so many conversations. We barely know about a fraction of them.

God has been teaching me lately that I need to be aware of the stories laid before me. The importance of each person talked about. Each conversation that is recorded. Sometimes I think we forget how Holy the scriptures are. How intricately God put each an every chapter of each book together. There is reason. Purpose. Knowledge and wisdom to be gained. Truths to be learned. Healing to be had. And direction to be heeded in the Word of God. What question do you want God to answer? What are you wondering about? The answer is there. Scripture is sufficient. (If you go to HSM you have been learning this from Joel!)

Along the same line, I am learning how beautiful and unique and important people's stories are today. Each person is so intimately and intricately created. Each life-each story-so different and colorful. And there is so much to be gleaned from each other in the body of Christ. So many lessons learned. Redemption to witness. Jesus at work in ways that can not ever be denied or explained away. And in the busy-ness and self-centeredness of our culture, one of the things that is decaying in our time is the sharing of stories and experiences. The close knowledge of others in the Body. The understanding of what our friends have experienced and gone through. The way Jesus uses EVERYTHING for our good and our ministry later if we only embrace Him and allow it.

I have a friend who got married young and had a very difficult road of it at first. There was a lot of heartache in the beginning of the marriage. But God reached down and pulled her and her husband out of many pits and now they have 3 beautiful daughters and minister to others, like me.

I know a beautiful woman who had her husband cheat on her while having a young daughter at home. She had a very difficult road of self-protection and providing for herself and her daughter while continuing her education. She's now walking deeply with Jesus and is a teacher. She blesses others and touches their lives every day. So does her daughter-who's now beginning another year of college. My friend and her daughter will both tell you they wouldn't know Jesus like this if things didn't happen the way they did.

One of my best friends has been living and ministering in South Africa. When she moved, she had a hard time adjusting to the differences. It was hard to be a wife and mom and minster to others all while not being comfortable. But she is so in love now she doesn't want to leave. They struggle. They aren't getting the full support they need. They currently don't have a vehicle. Yet she'll tell you the same thing-her experiences help her minister to others and bring her to a new place with Jesus.

What's YOUR story? What have you been through? What has He taught you? How is He now using something you went through in the past? In what ways has your journey made you who you are today and brought you to where you are with Jesus now? I'm seriously asking. I wanna know!!! And
share it with others. There's always something someone can glean from it.
Don't be fooled into believing otherwise.

1 comment:

Macaroo42 said...

Love this! Good word, girl!