What do you know about Abraham, Moses, King David, the Apostle Paul, and so many other Bible characters? Even more importantly, what do their stories teach you about the God who worked in and through their lives? In telling our stories, it’s important we not only communicate the details of our experiences but even more importantly that we point people to the God who knew us before we were even born and who has ordained all our days (Ps. 139:13-16).
What’s Important in Telling Our Stories
Whether we’re telling the story of our lives leading to our salvation or testifying about what God has done since then, we need to remember some important elements.
1) Accuracy
Let’s be careful not add to or to sensationalize our story so as to make it more exciting. God is fully capable of using the truth of our stories to move in people’s hearts. God uses what might seem foolish, weak, or lowly to us to confound the wise (1 Cor. 1:25-31) so let’s tell our stories the way they happened and let God use it as He will.
2) Enthusiasm
Why should others care about your story if it doesn’t even appear to move you? — “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” (Rom. 12:11)
3) God-centered Focus
Include personal details but keep pointing back to “God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Phil. 2:13). Perhaps you have a story of God’s grace or of His faithfulness. Maybe the way your story unfolds points to God’s wisdom or power at work. When you keep the focus of your story on God, people begin to encounter a great God worthy to be praised, worthy of their trust.
We have stories to tell of a God who not only worked in the past as recounted in Scripture but still changes lives today. These are stories worth telling.
Have you shared one of His stories lately?