What's Your Story?

   What’s your story?  We all have one.  Some of them are happy stories, some of them sad, some of them simply miraculous, some of them very dark.  No matter what kind of story you have, one thing is certain; your story, your history, has influenced who you are today.  Our stories are powerful.  I don’t think a lot of people understand just how powerful they can be.  However, our story, our past, cannot be allowed to define all that we are today.  Some people who have a very sad or dark past allow that to define who they are, and use it to justify all sorts of bad behavior.  In short, they use it as an excuse.  That is not what God intended your life story to be.  It’s not an excuse for drug abuse or self-harm.  It’s not an excuse for bitterness.  It’s not an excuse for holding grudges.  It’s not an excuse for being difficult to get along with, prideful or overly sensitive. Your life story can be used to inspire others who have had the same experiences.  Your life story can be used to draw others to God’s unconditional love and acceptance.  Your life story could save someone’s life…..someone’s eternity!

 

   What are you using your story for?  Are you using it as a crutch?  Do you use it to justify the way you react to those around you?  I want more than anything for you to understand that no matter how horrible you think your story to be, God loves you without condition.  He is waiting to take that burden from you.  All you have to do is lay it at His feet.  You may already be a disciple of Jesus and you may have been for a very long time, but you never laid that burden down.  You never gave it to Him because you thought it was too dirty, too shameful or you had gotten so used to it being a part of you that you were afraid there would be nothing left when it was gone.  It’s not true.  Those are satan’s lies trying to rob you of joy; trying to keep you from ever using it to point someone else to Jesus.  God loves you.  Do you understand the significance of that?  THE one who hung every star in the sky, THE one who knows every one of those stars by name, knows YOUR name and loves YOU beyond measure.  He has seen it ALL.  He knows it ALL.  He wants you lay it down at His feet.....let go of it.....RELEASE it.  I challenge you today if this is you, to lay those hurts down at His feet once and for all.  Allow God to use your story to point others to HIM.  If you've never known a relationship with God, it’s quite simple.  Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, believe in it your heart, and you will be saved!  Once you've done that, there is absolutely nothing in your past, present or future that will ever separate you from His love!  

2 Corinthians 1:4
"He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."