Sharing Your Story

My schedule appears to be very busy as I look at the responsibilities of the next few days.  I am sure that many of you feel the same way as you look ahead and realize all that you need to accomplish in the next several days.  It is so easy to become captured by the events and circumstances of life that we fail to take the opportunity to share the good things that God is doing in our lives.  God began to stir this thought in my mind as I was reading during my devotional time this morning.  It became even clearer to me as I entered my time of prayer, praise, and fellowship with God.  As many of you know I have been dealing with an injury since October of 2010.  I have made significant progress through prayer and therapy yet there remains other measures that I need to take in order to receive my complete healing.  During prayer God reminded me of the need to thank Him and praise Him concerning the fact that my injuries were not more severe or difficult than they could have been.  I then began to repent and to ask God not to allow my frustration with my progress to be misconstrued as a lack of thankfulness or gratitude. 

I have been trying to let people know that my injuries could have been more severe if it had not been for the Mercy and Grace of God.  I don't want this post to turn into a personal confession time although there are times that we do need to make a full confession to God concerning our thoughts and our emotions.  But I wanted this personal time of encounter with God to serve as a teaching moment for all of us.  We need to share the story of God's goodness in our lives.  We need to share the positive influence that Christ is making in our lives with those people with which we interact on a daily basis.  It seems (at least in my opinion) that the news media focuses on the negative side of the actions of society and very seldom ever brings to our attention the positive things that are taking place around us.  We need to challenge that trend and make sure that people know that God is at work in our hearts and that His Spirit is leading us to understand all of the benefits that He provides for us on a daily basis.  It is impossible to think of all the things that God does for us within one 24 hour span much less a life time of blessings that God has bestowed on us.  I want to be faithful in exalting and honoring His name in the midst of the darkness of sin in this world.  Each of you have a story to share; each of you can testify to others of the marvelous work of God that is taking place in you at this very moment.  Don't let your story fade away or die out because of the frustrations of life.  Let us recommit ourselves to talking of the goodness of God even in the midst of our adversities and difficulties.