What is My Story?

Training for Today: Run 4 Miles

Devotion: What is My Story?

This week, we’ve been focusing on the challenge of voicing an account of our loss to the world. Today’s devotion will take us farther than the 3-4 sentences of the grave-dressing process. We’re going to tell a story.

Storytelling is an art form. Throughout His earthly life, Jesus certainly took advantage of storytelling in His parables. He recognized the power of a story to connect the unfamiliar to the familiar, to hold the audience’s attention, and to illustrate a point in a memorable way.

During today’s devotion and training, put on your storytelling hat and embrace this wonderful art form! To write your story, I’d like you to ponder the following questions during your run today:

• What was my life situation before the loss? What was it like to be me?
• What was the immediate impact of the loss on my life and the lives of those around me?
• What lessons have I learned about myself and my faith because of my loss?
• What has God accomplished in my heart through this loss?
• What opportunities might God have for me now that my faith and my heart have been refined by the loss?

As you reflect and form your answers to these questions, pay careful attention to the chronological sequence of the questions. When you’re done, your answers should flow together to create your story. Not only can your story benefit you in dealing with your grief, but it can also benefit those around you. God has accomplished something in you. God’s hand has been at work in your life. And now it’s time to share. To those who doubt God’s presence, you can offer assurance. To those who are dwelling in the early stages of grief, you can offer the example of hope in your own story.

Psalm 40:10 says, “I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.” Though your grief was and is and will be painful, God was and is and will be faithful. Write your story, and speak of God’s faithfulness to you as His own dear child.

Prayer
Dear Lord, give me the words to tell my story. More importantly, give me the words to tell the story of your faithfulness. Amen.