What's Your Story?

I read an interesting quote the other day...

"Your life is a blank page; you write on it."

There's a lot that jumps out to me about this statement, in many ways. The one thing that seems most beneficial to me is taking the approach to this statement the best way anyone can, and thats is a submissive approach.

How liberating, exciting, and adventurous is it to think of one's life as a blank page in which we write! Now, I love, and greatly encourage everyone, to look at life through the lens of a story. We are all narcissistic to one extent or another, some obviously more so than others. So the idea of viewing, thinking, and approaching life as a story (or movie) should not be to radical and counter intuitive for anyone. It is in our nature to default to the assumption that the world was made for, and revolves around us. But think of your life as a story as if you were writing it.

Some of us would concede that we are not very good story tellers or authors at all, and others come across movies and stories only to be frustrated and annoyed because they view themselves as master story tellers and authors. Regardless of your personal impression on your ability to tell a story the reality is this; their is someone far more capable of writing a better story than you!

When we approach the statement and belief that, "life is a blank page; you write on it," with a submissive attitude, fully accepting and believing that God is not only capable of, but desiring to write a better story, the effects are radically life-changing!

Everything that draws us into a movie or story, all those elements that entice and hold our attention are written into the very fabric of each individual's soul. So as some like the action-adventure genre, others the romantic comedies, the truth is, those inclinations were put their by our loving and creative father. Just think, when He created the world, it was literary! He spoke, and things began existing! He spoke, and you existed. Everything He has created, has distinct characteristics and purposes.

Don't you think that if He created you, He is the author of the character that is you; that He would know what you crave, desire, and are passionate about? And if this is in fact true, wouldn't it stand to reason that He knows the greatest possible means of which to write and create the most profound, adventurous, engaging story that your life could ever have?

There is a greater author than you...will you write your story with Him?

Faithfulness

There is a lot to be said about faithfulness. The fruits and evidences of faithfulness can be seen and appreciated in many different ways, however, the greatest results and rewards of faithfulness to an individual is that of the unseen. What I mean by that is this...

Think back to a time in which you invested so much of your self; your time, energy, and emotion into something, or someone? For some this might be a touchy and bitter subject as this project, or person, resulted in letdown and pain. However, for those that have the memory in mind of a time in which the project, or the person was seen through to its end result or even restoration, the satisfaction and assurance that greatness (whether others would see it that way or not) within yourself is overwhelming.

This is very much at the heart of the admonition scripture raises to "store up for yourselves treasure(s) in heaven." It is in the moments of faithfulness to your faith, to your God, your savior, to your fallen and dismayed friends that the greatest of treasure and eternal wealth is credited to you.

Consider Jonathan and David. Their friendship was life saving, and for Jonathan, in many regards, life taking. The bible says that these two men's souls were knit together. That is a faithful friendship. Jonathan saved Davids life, despite the ostracizing it meant within his fathers own courts. And in some respect, Jonathan's faithfulness to David cost him his own life; within the royal courts (he yielded his rightful throne to God's anointed) and in the fields where he lost his physical life. As a result of this faithful friendship David was able to take the throne and become Israel's greatest king. As a result of this faithful friendship David was able to show his nation the mercy and kindness of the true king they served, if you don't agree, ask Mephibosheth.

Then there is Paul. Upon his conversion he was so zealous to preach the very man that he once persecuted yet his ministry was a complete disaster! It wasn't the fact that the good'ol boys were skeptical of his conversion, his ministry was just a flop. Paul wanted so badly to preach Jesus to his fellow Jews and the life and liberty that is found with Christ, but they couldn't see past the once vicious Christian killer. Paul was literally ostracized and spent some three years in the dessert only to return and attempt ministry again that would end in yet another outcast of obscurity taking him to Damascus for another period lasting seven to ten years! That's ten to thirteen years of unbridled, unfruitful, unproductive fervor for Jesus! To be fair, and more importantly honest, which one of us would not have been like Peter and returned to our former occupation, or just given up all together and forgotten this whole "Christian" thing? It was Paul's unwavering faithfulness to Jesus Christ that yielded to the Spirit and it was by the Spirit that Paul would become the greatest preacher this world has known! And yet, his ministry, as great as it was, was still not what he had hoped. In his letter to the Romans, he penned the cry that he himself would rather be cast out and lose his salvation for his fellow Jews to be saved. That is faithfulness--SELFLESSNESS!

Jesus was faithful to His father, crying for "any other way." His faithfulness was marked and defined by His selflessness which was and is to the benefit of all those who do and are to call on His name. The gospel is not a self-help manual. The gospel is not meant to cause warm fuzzy feelings for an individual to float through life. The gospel is not about thinking about yourself at all. The gospel is defined by faith.

There is a lot to say about faithfulness!

Insecurity

A few weeks back it occurred to me that our idea of insecurity may not be so accurate, or rather, its existence and acceptance in our lives must be addressed. Insecurity is defined as: lack of confidence, or assurance; self-doubt. It's synonyms are: shakiness and vulnerability.
And there in lies the problem. As a child of God, called to be re-born, re-generated, ever growing and deepening in faith and the promises from the throne; where is there room and reasonable clause for a lack of confidence or assurance. Are we not promised that God will work ALL things for good for those He has called and whom love him (Rom.8:28)? Or is that just another scriptural cliche we throw the way of some bummed out friend?
We have grown accustomed to and accepted insecurity in not only in our personal lives, but in the cooperate life of the church. It's no wonder any individual and even the church sit around and wonder in dismay why the same struggles persistently circulate and cycle in our lives--both as individuals and as a cooperate body.
As this occurred to me, a revelation came with it.

What if insecurities are not so much insecurities as we understand them, but in fact the evidential fruit(s) of lack of faith

and downright disobedience?

Insecurity takes on a whole other face when you see it that way, when you look at it as the fruit and manifestation of short-changed faith and utter disobedience!
Think about it for a minute. We are not called to faith in ourselves, but in Christ. Therefor, why would we allow "self-doubt" to govern or have any authority in our hearts and thoughts? Yet we do. Furthermore, working with the synonym of vulnerability in relation to insecurity is a terribly perplexing thing. Being vulnerable, arguably, might be one of the most demanding calls for any individual. To be seen as we really are is a terrifying notion, let alone reality. Everyday, via Facebook, Twitter, fashion, gaming, and any other form of media or expression people strive to create a persona that is acceptable, appealing, and transcendent. However, in most cases this "persona" is a white-walled tomb and a facade of any authentic representation of whom the individual truly is. This is a topic in itself for another day, however.
If we are to be caught up, defined by, and In Jesus Christ himself, where is there grounds for insecurity and vulnerability? As a child of God we should be the most secure, grounded, confident, and courageous people to walk His creation. After-all, the victory is won, and it is ours through our inheritance in Christ Jesus!