The Power of Story

Lately I have been realizing the prominent place of “story” in my life and the lives of the people around me. Sometimes it is easy to coast through life unaware, and in doing so, to miss out on the subtle plot lines and connections that God, the Master Storyteller, is weaving. There are lots of things that seem stressful or don’t make sense until we find their context in the greater story that is being written through our lives and the even greater stage of the community that we live and move within. When we can learn to see and trust His plot – that God is working all things for our good (Rom 8:28) – then we can develop more patience and endurance that we would otherwise have.

Another aspect of this that begins to take shape is the respect that we gain for others and their story. When we realize that each person has a unique story that their life is telling, we are not so quick to judge. We ask more questions and listen more in order to learn the background and the subtext of what we see on the surface of their lives. Sometimes I tend to be a worrier and take too much burden on myself for others’ well being and progress in their journey. Then one day I had the realization that as much as I care for people, how much more does God? And no matter how long I have been involved in their story I am only a blip – a minor character – compared to the Author of it. Even if they don’t know Him, God was forming them in their mother’s womb and has been working in their hearts all through their life. He wants to draw them to Himself – inviting them to participate in the greater story that He has designed with them in mind. It’s good to remember when we meet people that we are just entering a story that God has been writing in their lives for a long time. It humbles our posture as we seek to learn what God has been writing and seek to cooperate with the work He has already begun.

We also share a collective story with the community around us. In the Bible, God told the Israelites to remember and rehearse all the things that God had done for their people throughout history. This was a way for them to remember their shared story so as to honor and recognize God and their place in a larger family and community. These days many people have a strong desire to get caught up in a story that is greater than themselves. This is why reality TV shows and sports are so popular. There is a deep desire in the human heart to be caught up in a movement, to be a part of something transcendent or to feel connected to the greater whole of humanity. This is why God has chosen to write His story in the context of community. It is not as safe as watching a show on TV, but it is hugely more life-giving and ultimately satisfying. If you don’t have a community that you share life and story with, I encourage you to find one. I, for one, believe that spiritual community that runs on the power of the Holy Spirit produces the most amazing story that one can ever hope to be a part of.

This Sunday, Jan 31, we will celebrate our story as a community of faith at The Bridge. We have designated this Family Sunday (the last Sunday of each month) as a time to commemorate all that God has done in our lives over the past year. For many it’s been a hard year. But we can look back on our collective story and see that through it all, the Master Storyteller has been at work. And, even if we can’t always see it, we can trust that He is writing a grand adventure and a great masterpiece with an ending that will knock our socks off!

Ben is happy to find something to write about after a long absence of writing. He is currently hoping that his team, the Flames, can break a huge losing streak with a win over the lowly rival Oilers on Saturday.