What's Your Story?

Throughout the month of October our teens were learning about Anger. To explain what is “sinful” about our anger, our pastor talked about our “stories”. He talked about how we all are living OUR story and so when that story is interrupted or rerouted we get angry. Our frustration can show in the big things like serious illness, divorce, unwanted pregnancy, financial loss and even presidential elections. But, it can just as easily come out in the little things like other drivers cutting us off, our kids spilling the milk, our spouse disagreeing with us, our boss changing our schedule. Anyways, you get the idea. Our anger is a result of our selfish desire. He then talked about GOD’S story. He used the illustration of the Bible as a glimpse into GOD’S story. When reading the Bible, we are seeing portions of GOD’S story. There are smaller stories within the Bible, but they all affect each other. None of them are exclusive unto themselves. The creation story isn’t a story about Adam and Eve, it is a story about GOD. The exile from Egypt isn’t a story about Moses. It isn’t even a story about Israel. The story of the great flood is not about Noah. He isn’t even the main character. God is. The story of King David isn’t about a great king or a murderous adulterer, or a man after God’s own heart. It is a story about God’s character. Our pastor explained to the teens that we can choose to have our very own story. All about us. What we want. What we believe. What we desire. In this path we will experience great bouts of anger, depression and sorrow. OR we can choose to live GOD’S story. It’s all about Him. What He wants. What He knows. What He desires. If we choose GOD’s story, we can be a character in it, but it’s not about us. Our anger, depression and sorrow will still be there but it will be shorter, easier to bear and quicker to fade.

Have you ever read Job 38 and 39? Have you ever seen the video “How Great is our God” by Louis Giglio?



If you are concerned because of our political election, if you are angry at your spouse, if you are scared because of illness in your life, if you are frustrated with your job or lack there of, if you are depressed and don't know how to crawl out of the dispair, if you have fallen back into addiction, if you are worried about your mortgage, if you are struggling with your teens... then go read the end of Job. Read what God has to say to Job when his life changed direction. Watch the video "How Great is our God". What we must remember is this: We are a mere speck in the wind. A blink of the eye. But GOD'S story is eternal and overcomes it all. It overcomes our human failings and brings us victory in the big picture of Jesus' story. Even if we fail in our current here and now, God's story will take that failure and use it to further His kingdom in ways we cannot fathom. He will bring purpose and Glory out of our dispair. Whose story are you living? Are you a human story about struggle and failure or are you a child, loved by God, in a story that will end in victory?