Stories to Tell

I love true stories! I enjoy telling them and listening to them. Stories flesh out truth. We learn from people’s experiences. We gain insights about how to live, what happens when we walk by faith or give in to fear and doubt. God weaves stories in our lives to help us grow in our faith, but he also uses our stories to encourage others.

The Psalmist writes, “Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.” (Psalm 107:2, NIV). Throughout Psalm 107, he shares stories that he and his people experienced. The different stories all start out with a challenging experience.

• Psalm 107:4-9: The distressed Israelites wander in wastelands. They had no home and lacked necessities like food and water.
• Psalm 107:10-16: People are sitting in darkness. They suffer imprisonment due to their disobedience to God.
• Psalm 107:17-22: They have a near-death experience due to their rebellion.
• Psalm 107:23-32: Some are in a storm and don’t know what to do. The only thing they know is that they can’t rescue themselves.
• Psalm 107:33-42: This is a summary of stories that were already shared. The psalmist adds other examples of the Lord’s direct involvement in his people’s lives.

In each of these stories we see that when they cry out for God’s help, he delivers them. They experience God’s unfailing love and his power to save.  Their hearts are grateful to him for deliverance. The psalmist ends with a challenge in verse 43, “Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.” We can gain wisdom and learn about God’s love from true stories.

We all have stories where we call on God and he answers. Here are a few of mine:

• When Don was in seminary, we didn’t have enough money for some semesters. We prayed. God provided more work for some semesters. At other times a donor paid for him to continue his studies.
• When walking alone at night in a desolate part of the foreign city where we lived, I sensed danger. God assured me of his presence. Peace filled my heart as I kept going.
• My little boy was sick, and we couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him. The doctor we went to didn’t know either and she didn’t do any tests to try and find out. God led us to another doctor who provided good care for him.
• I struggled with a hard-to-diagnose illness that caused me to fear God and fear death. His presence gave me hope, lessened my fear, and in his perfect timing and kindness he healed me.
• We prayed for healing for Rudy who had a brain tumor. God chose to take Rudy home. Though grieving, God gave grace, comfort, hope and peace to those who had to say goodbye.  He used this story to remind us of our forever home where there will be no more goodbyes.

Looking back at my life, story after story, I see God’s faithfulness in every situation. Some trials came due to my own poor choices or ignorance. Other storms were unavoidable and just happened. Outcomes were often unexpected, sometimes glorious and sometimes hard to understand. I remember lots of different stories, but each one has a common theme. The Lord was with me in all of them.

What are some of your stories? Remember God uses them to grow us, but he also wants us to share our stories with others. Like the psalmist of old, we can bring encouragement and truth to others who are struggling. Sharing our stories can bring hope to those in the middle of their story where uncertainty often looms. Our stories can remind others that God is present and able to help.

Whether it is our own story or someone else’s, stories help us not lose sight of God’s goodness and power no matter what is happening in our lives. Whether you write them down or share them face to face, God will use your stories.

Who will you share your stories with today?

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—
    those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
    from east and west, from north and south. (Psalm 107:1-3, NIV)