Tuesday, August 30, 2011

What Is Your Story?

And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way.

-- 1 Peter 3:15a-16b

What is your story? How did you come to know Jesus? Was it gradual as you grew up attending church? Did it come after years of grappling about who God is and what Jesus did for you? Or was it an instant flash of understanding that transformed your life?

Everybody’s story is different. There is no right or wrong version. What’s important is that you recognize how you came to know Him. The reason? So you can tell others about what He’s given you.

At some point all of us want to share our faith with someone else. Maybe you’ve got a friend who’s hurting and really needs the peace that only God can provide. Maybe it’s a co-worker who lost a family member suddenly. Maybe it’s that grouchy neighbor who just seems so alone and yet pushes people away again and again.

How can you even begin when you don’t really know your own story? People don’t want to hear you quote Bible passages or repeat what your pastor said last Sunday. They want to hear what Jesus has done for you, personally. They want to hear your story. They want to know how Jesus changed you, how He has impacted your life.

So I’ll ask again: What is your story? If you’re squirming, uncomfortable, unsure even, that’s a sign that you need to spend some time figuring it out. Maybe read the Bible a little more. Maybe spend more time with God, not just talking to Him but listening to Him.

And figuring it all out for yourself. Because your faith isn’t simply about what you’ve been told to believe. It’s about what you believe in your heart. It’s about what Jesus means to you. You must understand that before you can share it with anyone else.

So figure out your story, then share it with others. Explain the hope you carry in your heart, being careful not to condemn or criticize others. That only makes them defensive and pushes them away from Christ. Instead, speak from your heart with words the Holy Spirit gives you. It is your story after all.