Over the last couple of months, I’ve spent hours sitting in my office (and coffee shops) helping people think through their stories of how they met Jesus and how He has changed their lives. These people have been sharing their stories with our church lately, but there are many good reasons to share your story.
These hours spent discussing stories have been incredibly significant moments in time for me. I learn so much from every storyteller. After nearly 10 different stories, I’ve begun to draw some common observations. You might find some of my observations helpful, here they are:
- They cannot tell it apart from help from God. I have found that people sharing their story always spend significant time in prayer, meditation, and reading Scripture before they even talk with me. This is one of the chief reasons that it is such a transforming experience. I know it’s easy to think that we all know our story, it’s our own life we’re talking about after all! But I’ve already written a post about how that wasn’t the case for me, and I’ve found that it often isn’t the case for others either. You can see that blogpost here: https://scottstoriesblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/31/5-things-i-learned-from-sharing-my-story-at-my-church
- They care about their stories, but they care more about honoring God. When we spend time outlining our story with the Lord, we naturally want to share it. But sometimes fear sets in and we don’t want to make it ‘about us.’ There is wisdom in being careful with our words – and that is why spending time in prayer, in Scripture, and sharing our story with friends and family is so important. Sharing your story is about sharing Jesus. It’s telling others about the work that He’s done in our lives. Don’t be afraid of telling your story, just keep the focus on Jesus.
- They find the process more transforming than expected. I always try to follow up with storytellers. I ask them how they are feeling about the weekend. I’ve heard people at our church say things like: “I’ve never talked to so many people in one weekend, how could my story relate to so many people?” “I learned so much about myself through doing this!” Or simply, “That was a powerful experience.” If you’re getting ready to share your story with someone, prepare to be blessed!
- They found a new and practical tool for sharing the Gospel. Once we begin to see how God has and is continuing to work in and through our lives, we begin to see that He is working all the time. He is often working in ways that we don’t even see until later. I believe that God has constant use for our lives (Luke 10:2, Eph 2:10). Being willing to tell our story to other people is more than a worship service presentation, it’s more than a speech or a show, it’s a lifestyle.
Have you ever thought about telling your story? Have you ever thought about how God might want to use the work that He has done in your life? Hearing stories is often a good reminder that our God has a plan, cares about us, and cares about other people. He is always at work! Our stories are never actually about us, they are about God rescuing us!
If you haven’t done this in a while, maybe this would be a good week for you to spend some time with God going through your own story!
Until next time, Scott.
Scott Pousche 