I was having a discussion with a friend recently about how, when we share our stories, we often refer to things that have taken place in the past.
I used to be addicted to drugs.
My marriage almost fell apart.
I was an alcoholic.
My kids were headed down the wrong path.
I was the most selfish guy you’d ever meet.
Our stories are important. Nobody can argue the power of God’s faithfulness shown in our past.
May I make a suggestion?
Let’s also begin sharing The Story of Now.
Let’s share the brokenness that is happening in our lives at this very given moment — The places we aren’t sure how God will heal, if he will heal them. The places that frighten us. The places that we think will make a great story in the future…but we don’t want to talk about them in the present tense.
Do you recognize your Story of Now? I’ll go first.
I am learning I am a terribly prideful person in a passive-aggressive way, so it’s not easily noticeable. It has been catching up to me in my relationship with God (“I don’t need you”) and others (“And I certainly don’t need you!”)
Although I’ve never actually verbalized those words with anyone, my actions have spoken them. I need to find humility and express it in loving ways to the people around me.
So, what’s Your Story of Now?
Comments
44 responses to “The Story of Now”
I am scared that nothing will ever happen.
I can be prideful in what I do and if others disagree I think they are the ones that have the problem, not me.
.-= Kyle Reed´s last blog ..Its Your Turn =-.
I am so scared of losing my children; to a tragic accident. I hear, see, and read about the evil that’s around me and it scares me. I pray. I’m trusting God for His protection. I am scared.
Excellent point, Anne.
I’ve been trying to switch my testimony and encouraging others to do the same for a while now. It seems like we should share the amazingness of life with Christ, rather than the terribleness of life without Him. Sure, we need to recognize the bad stuff before we will want a savior, but frankly most people already realize the bad stuff. They know what it’s like. As Christians, we should be out there sharing what they don’t know… what it’s like to live with Christ right now.
Or maybe we don’t do that because we don’t really know what it’s like right now. Hmm…
If you’re interested, I wrote a whole series on it a while back:
Your testimony revolution: Switching your story to change lives.
^Yeah, shameless plug because I think it’s actually valuable… :)
-Marshall Jones Jr.
.-= bondChristian´s last blog ..How To Make A Friend In 10 Days &8211 Free eBook =-.
I am scared yet somewhat excited to start a new year of school.
Trying to finish up last minute projects before I go to visit girls halfway across the world.
I know God is exposing my weaknesses (lucky me) so that he may be glorified!
Trying to find comfort in God and not who I am surrounded by. This is a toughy
.-= kamrie´s last blog ..It is writing time =-.
It’s so crazy that I’m reading this right now. On my way home last night, I was thinking about how so much of our focus is either on the past or future, but rarely on the “now”.
It is such a struggle to go to scripture and God right now. The more I do, the more I fall in love with him and am changed, which means I can’t continue living the way I have. I think I am okay with that change, although I know it would be hard, but every time I look up to see who else is walking out what I see and find in scripture I feel alone. I feel like I have to hold back to be a good Christian; to fit into the church. I am scared to speak up and be different. When I share my “story of now” I feel like an outsider and what I want to feel is like I have a place to belong.
.-= Sherie´s last blog ..Mission-minded or Missional =-.
love the now. i don’t really write much about my past… nor do i like to dwell on it… only because i seriously think that that person is dead and the new me is a totally different person.
the things im struggling with now: worry. wanting to respond to people who annoy me with more grace. worry. finances. worrying about my health. yeah i kinda struggle with worry.
Right now? Right now I am terrified I don’t love Him enough. Not in a sunday school sort-of love, but in an all-encompassing, faith for the in between, sort-of love. And with all the teachings, and beliefs, and book-learnin that I have, I’m not sure I know how to love Him as much as I should while I do the laundry, and buy groceries, and write speeches.
Ashley, I completely relate.
I am NOW free to dive into my creativity because God has shown me He is there.
.-= Diane Yuhas´s last blog ..Yahweh Jireh- The Lord Will Provide =-.
I wish I had come to that place. I teach art and yet am 100% creatively stuck and have been for the past (certain number of) years. I went from loving my job to hating and dreading it each day yet I see no way out. I don’t know what to do about it at all.
I am always petrified to put things into God’s hands if I love them at all. I’m afraid that God wants me to do the opposite of what I want.
It’s hard for me to believe that God is love or God is good, but I’m learning.
M…look into waking up grey- by Jennie Schut- creative awakening for the Christian soul. Meany to be read and done within small group setting but good anyway if you do the directives. Also spiritually directed silent retreats have helped unlock some creativity in me- as God gives us pictures, phrases, etc in our listening time with Him. Let Him lead!
I am afraid of failure and asking Him to free me daily from this pride that keeps me from enjoying the real me. The real me, with all its cracks, neediness, clay.
“The places we aren’t sure how God will heal, if he will heal them.”
Yes. This is so true, why are we afraid of admitting our dark places now?
Right now I am in a humbling place of knowing how weak I really am- how I have failed or compromised at every single thing God has asked of me. Your Merton post “Mistakes” has given me some hope recently.
Love your posts this week.
“why are we afraid of admitting our dark places now?”
-For some its because we fear being a bad witness.
-For some its because we don’t know the end of the story.
-For some its because faith that God will make everything better isn’t automatic.
God never promises to fix all of our problems. So its scary to faithfully put our problems out there. Some people have marriages that break, bodies that fail, careers that capsize. Its hard to know what God is up to in all of that.
Trust is hard. When God says that he works things “for good”, its not always the good that we’re looking for.
I am hurting and I am broken in my many ways right now. I have felt like giving up many times in the last week or running away from it all …
.-= Kevin M.´s last blog ..We cant do life on our own =-.
I am afraid everyday that GOD will take something away from me to teach me not to become attached to it. At the moment I am most afraid he will take away relationships, so I can learn to lean on only Him, and not those around me.
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.-= Sharkbait´s last blog ..Gender question =-.
That’s really scary. I can relate completely.
Now?
Most of my friends where I live are alcoholics, but I hang out with them because I don’t want to be alone. So, I end up drinking way more than I want to.
I desire to be a part of a church, but I find it painful to be a part of church because I feel that it has drifted so far away from it’s vision. I am afraid to invest in the church.
I’m nervous & excited at the same time. I have no clue what’s going to happen next.
.-= Michael´s last blog ..Skanky Coffee Mug =-.
I’m right there with ya! Sending prayers for peace your way.
.-= Katie´s last blog ..Different Eyes =-.
I’m angry and proud when I should be repentant…
I recently shared my story of now on my blog (http://justsheri.blogspot.com/2010/06/getting-personal.html). I want a child, we haven’t gotten pregnant. I don’t know why. I have prayed and prayed for this. God hasn’t promised me a change in circumstance, but asks that I keep praying about it. I find that hard to do because hoping hurts.
.-= Sheri´s last blog ..Good hair =-.
Have you considered sharing your heart and home with one of the millions of children who are fatherless?
Maybe the child that needs your love exists already.
There is a verse in Scripture that talks about making the “mother of childless house into the joyful mother of children.” My mom leaned on this one after losing a child in infancy over 20 years ago. It is certainly true that her “quiver” is full now. The loss still hurts but she has a very full home. God seems to promise this since it’s in Scripture, but he doesn’t say HOW he is going to do this. As much as you are hurting to have children, there are many children who are hurting just as much to have parents (and without the benefit of a secure home, adult perspective, clean conditions, etc.). Maybe God is using your pain to prepare you for something more special and perfectly matched than you can imagine.
I would encourage the reading of Genesis. God deals directly with a lot of prayers for children. Read the stories of where God answers women. I had to do that in my agonizing search (i.e. WAIT) for a husband and found it helpful.
Sometimes I think you are a mindreader! Was thinking about this last night. It is definitely easier to confess things in past rather than present tense. For me in the last week has been quite challenging. We’ve been talking about relationships and sexuality in my college ministry. I realised that while it was relatively easy to confess past struggles, bad relationships and bad attitudes, that my problems weren’t all past tense. This last week God has been showing me that I do still have a problem, that I have believed a lot of lies and put way too much hope in romantic relationships to make my life better. It’s been awkward confessing some of it to Christian friends but I definitely believe that confessing was what I needed to do.
I don’t know if I can keep on the path I’m on now. I have so many things trying to pull me down that I’m not sure if it’s even worth it sometimes.
.-= Lauren´s last blog ..Yes- my blood is Kvlt No- it really is pics included =-.
good point…i so am the type who wants to wait to share the story until it has been redeemed and god has already worked it out for good rather than when he is STILL working it out…
my now story is that i’m scared that when god does bring that godly, amazing man into my life that he’ll love someone else or not pick me. and i am more often than not impatient in that. my other now story is fearing that my past choices will bring consequences and prevent me from chasing after my dreams for the future…
.-= Katy´s last blog ..ten times =-.
Love this post!
It’s easy for us to talk about the past because it’s behind us. It’s hard to talk about the present because it’s something we’re going through right now. Our pride allows us to discuss things we’ve been through, but resist what we’re in… At least for me… :)
.-= Jonathan Pearson´s last blog ..It Begins Today =-.
One thing that was really interesting to me was when I was first studying ancient Hebrew was that back then, they saw things the other way around. Their view of time was that the past in infront of us and the future is behind us. We can see the past…but not the future…so we have to be facing the past with out back to the future.
Interesting thought anyway.
.-= Lauren´s last blog ..Yes- my blood is Kvlt No- it really is pics included =-.
Stated simply, I am deeply concerned with the inability to perceive in myself the moment when certainty of conviction bleeds over to arrogance and pride. My prayer is for humility, clarity, and an abiding peace.
.-= Ben Simpson´s last blog ..Hand Written Notes =-.
I’m incredibly prideful, sinful, selfish, judgmental, lacking in giving grace.
.-= Prudence´s last blog ..Grace Formed =-.
My story of now? (without looking at all the other comments and putting pressure on myself to answer in a certain way)
I am not sure what will happen now – since my husband and I have left our church of 23 years (for many reasons) in May. Right now I have no desire to find a new church. I’m annoyed with too many things about organized religion. So what will happen now? Will we find a new church? Do we need to in order to follow Jesus? Will we drift aimlessly … forever?
I’m attracted to the same sex.
I have told people this but always with an “I used to be” in front of it. The truth is I still am, and I’m still figuring out how to be a Christian and deal with these feelings.
I am living between the now and the not yet, suspended in a netherland where almost nothing “feels like home”. I am struggling to learn to be content here. I am learning to be thankful here. I am trying to open my heart and arms in worship and see that – even though it is hardly a comfortable place – THIS is a holy place and today is a holy moment. I don’t have to wait for everything to be settled and squared away for that to happen. God is with me today.
I walked into my new Kindergarten classroom today and discovered that the church had decided to paint the classrooms….one week before school begins and one week after I had prepared the space, alphabet on the wall, etc. Sounds like a moment of panic, right? But it wasn’t; I nearly fell to my knees with joy. I had prayed last week that God would show me how to “share” this space, how I could respect the church volunteers and celebrate their plans. WOW! I will get to teach in an amazing space! They are creating 3-D trees on the walls, painting murals and more. Pressed down, shaken together, running over….
So. Life hasn’t been easy this year—hubby is battling chronic illness—and I’ve acted like a toddler in my talks with God. Today, I felt like Christmas morning had come.
And that’s what’s happening in my little corner.
Amazing. What an amazing thought. I don’t know but I think God may have been speaking through you in this post. I think everyone should read it and then meditate in prayer on the thought.
My Story of Now is learning that too often I pursue the Lord for what he can give me… not for who he is.
I find myself anxiously pursuing and understanding of what God’s will for my life is, and not simply focusing on loving him, knowing him, and trusting him to reveal that when the time comes.
I turn the Lord into a padlock that has my blessing and plans locked up. I desperately try to figure out the perfect combination that will open the padlock, and provide the things I think I want… which sadly is most often not the Lord.
I’m afraid He will not provide for my family. I even feel badly seeing that in writing. But it’s true.
Our “now?” We’re trying to get ready for what we believe God wants us to do in the future: (1) teach what the Bible MEANS when it says “love your neighbors;” (2) encourage churches to group together to do that; (3) encourage Christian schools and colleges to teach it; and, (4), in time, develop ways we can help support some of those love-your-neighbor groups’ ministries.
We’re “practicing” in simple ways. Last week a neighbor lost a cat she’d had for 15 years. My kids helped her make posters; we all encouraged her. 3 days later my son “happened” to look out just the right window at just the right moment – and there was Lady! Tearful, happy reunion!
We visit with an 85-year-old neighbor, and take her flowers from our garden.
Our 2 kids (28 & 30) have become the center for all the young school kids in the neighborhood on summer vacation. (One asked “can I sleep here tonight? It’s like you’re my family.”)
Our “tight” place? We all, together, took a step of faith to obey God 8 months ago. Now we’re waiting for him to act. That can get shaky, and we’d appreciate all your prayers.
This is a question that hit me hard. I started to respond here, and realized it was a story I needed to tell more fully than I could in a comment, and I ended up writing my own blog post. http://ofalltheliars.blogspot.com/2010/08/now.html
I really don’t want to think about my now story. I’d rather think about what was, and what is going to be. Now is ugly and messy and it hurts. But God is definitely reminding me to live here, now. And I needed that reminder through your words too. Thanks.
Right now? My marriage is in shambles, and although I am working with a counselor to try to fix it – my wife doesn’t want me back. She keeps reiterating that she doesn’t want me back, and I’m starting to lose interest in fighting for it, and not a small part of me wants to try something different….. (I know, not the ‘Christian’ thing to say, right?)
That I need some healing and restoration. I am learning both but I “fear” it’s going to be a long process. Dang.
I am a seminary student who lost her faith and became addicted to heroin. I have been redeemed by grace after a year and a half not knowing if I could remove this marrow of destruction from my soul. I had lost all hope, but I know God wants me to write my story. Theology does not usually address addiction. It can happen to anyone. Even a good little Baptist Texan who was raised in church and had no history of substance abuse. I come from a white, middle class, Christian home with family dinners after church each Sunday. I was not an stereotypical user. I think when we feel the most secure we are often in the most danger.