When it comes to sharing our stories with others, it seems pretty easy to talk about the good things that have happened. The joys and victories in life naturally prompt us to praise God, and it feels easier to see His hand of blessing in the big and little things. 

It feels a lot harder, though, to share the painful, challenging, or messy bits of our stories. In seasons when failure, heartache, anxiety, or grief threaten to overwhelm us,  it can be difficult to discern where God is working. It can be a struggle to know how to share the hard parts of our story well.

But if the whole purpose of sharing our stories is to glorify God and help others see that He is still powerful, alive, and working, then we have to know how to share the difficult parts of our journey, too. Following Jesus means talking about the joys and the blessings, but also the rescue missions where He pulled us up out of the mud, dusted us off, and helped us walk forward again on solid ground. While we may fear what people might think of us or want to avoid being too vulnerable, sharing the hard parts of our story helps others know that they are not alone. Every time we share a part of our hearts and how the Lord met us in our need, it helps someone else know that God will meet them in theirs. 

Psalm 107 calls us to tell how we have been redeemed from the foe, not by our own cleverness or strength, but by the power and saving grace of our Heavenly Father. 

The hard seasons in our lives are often pivotal moments that can impact our faith and the faith of others, so when we share, it’s important that our perspective is grounded in Biblical truth.

We must first and foremost make sure that our identity is firmly rooted in Christ. Pain can be all-consuming, and sometimes we understandably focus so much on what we have been through that we unintentionally let it define us. It’s easy to fall into the trap of constructing a false identity based on our circumstances, instead of our true identity as daughters of the Most High God. We start to believe the lie that the most impactful part of our story is the difficult thing that we’ve endured, instead of the awesome power of Jesus at work in us, helping us to overcome. 

When our relationship with Jesus is the defining factor in our lives, the hard things we have experienced no longer define us. Instead, they set the stage for us to shine a spotlight on the God who faithfully walked with us and loved us through it all. Our main story becomes the ongoing story of God’s love, grace, and redemptive power at work in us. At the end of the day, that is the story we are telling. And when Jesus is the main character, it takes the pressure off of us to say or do things perfectly. There’s room for our humanity when God’s sovereignty and grace are on display. 

If you are reading this and struggling to see where God is working, or you’re in the middle of your healing process, allow me to extend a big, heaping scoop of grace to you right now. It is ok to just work on letting God put the pieces of your heart back together. Let Him sing over you with love, protect you under the shelter of His wing, and remind you how precious you are to Him. Fix your eyes on Jesus and ask Him to give you wisdom and discernment as you heal, grow, and move forward. Talk with trusted friends and seek wise counsel. There is no rush or pressure to share the hard things until you and God are ready. With God’s direction and in His perfect timing, your story of healing will change lives, even if it is simply within the four walls of your house.

Genesis 50:20 says, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” 

There will be a day when you will be on the other side of things and better able to share from a place of healing instead of in the middle of the hurting. When you have gone from pain to peace, then you’ll more easily see where God is redeeming that pain for purpose. 

From a place of confident identity in Christ, we can have more clarity as we discern what, when, and how much to share. One of my mentors told me once that prayerful planning creates room for the Holy Spirit to work, because we can more freely listen to His voice instead of the task at hand. 

For me, it has been helpful to spend time with the Lord before I share some of the harder parts of my story. I pray and examine my heart using some of the questions below and then sit quietly with Jesus, allowing Him to shape how I share my story. It helps me see any boundaries I need to set for myself or others, the level of detail I go into, and most importantly, to make sure that I am bringing the hope and encouragement of Christ to people, not just telling them a great story. 

I want to encourage you to take time to honestly work through the questions below and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and give you insight. Invite God to write your story with you so that you can have clarity, confidence, and peace as you share. 

• What is my motivation? Why do I want to share this story? 
• Who is this story meant to encourage?
• What is the main takeaway or Biblical truth that God wants me to share? 
• Is this story mine to share? Do I need to ask permission of others involved, leave out names, or change the level of detail that I share? Remember, the main story is less about the details of what happened and more about the power of Jesus at work in your life. 

Telling your story might feel like a daunting process, and while there is deep spiritual work that we all need to do as we grow in our faith, telling about what God has done in our lives does not have to be complicated.

Throughout the rest of Psalm 107, we see several stories of God’s redeeming power told simply, but powerfully. There are elements that are repeated that we can use as a template to share our stories as well: 

1. There was hardship and trouble
2. The people cried out to God for help. 
3. God stepped in to rescue them from their distress
4. They glorified God with their gratitude and praise. 

We can simply and effectively tell our story just by sharing what life was like before and after Jesus stepped into our story. There is tremendous power in the simple message of Jesus Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth saying, “When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”

Paul reminds us that our story is not about being fearless, eloquent, or having an elaborate set-up and delivery. It’s about boldly sharing what the Lord has done in our lives,  so that others will know God and have faith in Him. It is God’s power that goes before us when we share our story. 

Our story is folded into God’s greater story of redemption and love. As each chapter of our lives unfolds, God is powerfully present, alive and active, wasting nothing and working all things for the good of those who love Him. He pulls us out of the darkness and calls us into the light. May our stories be radiant beacons of hope to the world around us, pointing to the unfailing love of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the victory we have in Him.

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Have you ever read some of the stories in the Bible and felt like you didn’t quite measure up? There are so many examples of people with incredible faith in extraordinary circumstances, that my story can seem kind of unremarkable by comparison. 

The truth is, our stories of faith today are just as impactful as the stories of the people in the Bible because the core elements are the same. We have an all-knowing, all-powerful loving God, who works through ordinary people, like us, to accomplish Kingdom-sized results. The key is understanding our stories and telling them from the right perspective. 

When we look at our story through our own limited perspectives and abilities, it can be easy to underestimate the power in sharing it. But when we zoom out to an eternal, Kingdom perspective, we see that the God of infinite power and ability is the true main character working powerfully, in and around us. When we look at our stories through the lens of God’s loving hand guiding our steps and redeeming our pain for purpose, we begin to see the miraculous unfold and realize that we are being woven into God’s greater story, that spans the generations before us and the generations to come. 

We see that the same God who empowered Esther to become queen and save her people, is the same God who empowers us and helps us to navigate difficult situations with wisdom, boldness, and grace. The same God who appointed Deborah to be a powerful judge to give counsel to the king, also sees our strengths and places us in positions of influence, whether it be in governments, churches, workplaces, or our families. The same God who appeared to Mary Magdalene after He rose from the dead and commissioned her to share the Gospel, also commissions us to share that same good news. 

Psalm 66:16 says, “Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.”

And later in Psalm 107:1-2, “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.”

The whole purpose of sharing our stories is to glorify God and help others see that He is still powerful, alive, and working in our lives, and that He wants to do the same in theirs, too. It is a way to show our gratitude to God for all He has done and to point others toward the Savior. No one else has walked in the same experience, in the same way as you. Your story could be the one thing that opens someone’s eyes to the power of God.

Author Tracie Miles puts it beautifully: “In our stories, others see the invisible God at work. We are all called to be living proof of the power of a holy, living God.” 

In 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, the Apostle Paul shares the good news about Jesus, but then goes on to share his story of how he was personally impacted by the Gospel. Paul’s past was not pretty or shiny; in fact, he had aggressively persecuted Christians and the church. But he was transformed by the story of Jesus and went on to boldly proclaim the Gospel, even after he was imprisoned. For Paul, he wasn’t done sharing the Gospel until he had shared the impact it had in his own life. 

Our stories don’t have to be fancy, eloquent, or even have lots of drama to be effective in God’s Kingdom. All of our experiences, everything we’ve been through, each moment where we have experienced God’s love, provision, or power, can be a story worth sharing. 

When we tell others about what God has done in our lives, it not only invites them to see God in real and tangible ways, but it also combats the enemy’s lies and schemes to steal our joy and destroy our identity as a daughter of the Most High God. We have all experienced hardships or painful experiences, and the temptation to let those things define us and determine our worth is real. The enemy wants nothing more than to keep you stuck in a never-ending cycle of shame, disillusionment, and doubt.

Revelation 21:10-11 tells us that the devil hurls accusations day and night at God’s children, and we experience that today as he whispers lies that we are not enough or that we are beyond the reach of God’s grace. But verse 11 goes on to say that we will overcome the Accuser by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of our testimony. When the redeemed tell the story of Jesus at work in their life, it overcomes the enemy’s schemes.

Because our main story is the ongoing story of God’s love, grace, and redemptive power at work within us, that gives us an identity in Christ that can never be shaken. We are not defined by the messy parts of our story, but by the One who loved us through it all. This gives us boldness and confidence when we are called to share what God has done in our lives. Even in the painful places, we can still speak of the compassion, steadfast love, and life-changing power of Jesus Christ. He is the light that shines brightest in our darkest moments. 

There are times when we might feel called by God to share the harder parts of our stories, so that we can encourage others, strengthen their faith, and help them see God in their circumstances. For a lot of us, the thought of sharing the messy parts of our story can feel scary and overwhelming. Speaking from my own experience, I have discovered that there is a way to share your story so that it glorifies God, blesses and inspires others, and leaves you feeling confident and secure instead of overexposed and triggered. Stay on the lookout for our next article and podcast episode, where we will dive deeper into this topic and give you some practical steps to help you discern what, when, and how to share the hard parts of your story well. 

Right now, wherever you are in your story, I want to invite you to start small. Ask yourself, “Where do I see God’s handiwork unfolding in my life? Where do I see His love, provision, or power at work?” 

Ask God to show you where He is working throughout your day. Maybe keep a journal or start a note on your phone to help you remember. Take notice of the seemingly little things and talk to Him about what is happening in your day. You’ll be amazed at the power of His presence and the evidence of Him that is all around.

You have significance in the Kingdom of God, and your story matters because the King of Kings knows you and loves you. As a beloved daughter of God, you have all the credentials you need. Just as the stories of the Bible strengthen our faith and encourage our hearts, your story of faith is like a pebble dropped in a still pond. The waves ripple out exponentially and impact everything they touch. God is working powerfully through your story, the good parts and the hard parts. He doesn’t waste a thing, but works all things for the good of those who love Him. Your story and who you are in Christ are remarkable. May you boldly share it with confidence so that others can see living proof of our loving God.

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