Does My Story Matter?

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
I Peter 3:15 (NIV)

Everyone loves a good story.

I recently read an article about the importance of telling the story of how you became a Christian. So here’s mine.

I was raised by faithful Christian parents who took me to church three times a week from the time I was born. When I was twelve or thirteen, I recognized sin in my own life when a bad word crossed my mind while thinking about someone I disliked. I immediately knew that it was wrong even to have that thought, I felt guilt, and I realized I needed God’s forgiveness. I told my Dad the next afternoon that I was ready to confess my faith in Christ and be baptized, which I did an hour or so later. I have been an imperfect but faithful Christian ever since.

Fascinating, huh?

I know– it’s barely a story at all and it’s boring. I’ve never struggled with addiction or been sexually abused. I wasn’t rescued from some dark life of wickedness. To be very honest, I can’t quite relate to all of the “brokennness” terminology I often hear. I’m a sinner for sure, but I was always taught that God loved me and I believed it.

So can my boring story help anyone? Perhaps there are a few takeaways.

1. When parents follow God’s plan for the family, raising children in a Christian home, that constitutes protection that can spare those children a lot of pain. If that is boring, I’ll take it.
2. With great blessing comes great responsibility. If God makes it easy for someone to learn about Him and follow Him, does He perhaps expect more in return? Do I have enough patience with those whose stories are full of difficulties in conforming their lives to a teaching they didn’t learn until later in life and perhaps never had modeled for them?
3. No matter how well you were raised, you still have sin. Even if your sins are “boring,” they matter to God because they separate you from Him (Isaiah 59:2). And no matter how “easy” you had it, serving Him won’t always be easy. Your faith will still be tested.
4. When you avoid the “big” sins, you may find you are more susceptible to subtle sins, which in God’s eyes are often worse. Look at how Jesus condemned the Pharisees. Perhaps spiritual pride is the most dangerous sin of all– hard to recognize in oneself, and hard to root out.
5. No matter how well you were raised, you still have pain. You may not feel “broken,” but many times you will break down, overwhelmed by the disappointments, rejections, mistakes, betrayals, and pain of human life in a fallen world. Sometimes you’ll bring these on yourself, so add regrets to that list. As Christians we know God is the only 100% reliable source for dealing with these problems, but we still have to pray to Him, to turn to His word for guidance, and to trust Him.

When people share their story, they’re sharing what God has done for them. And what God does for people isn’t always flashy enough to become a movie script, but it doesn’t have to be. Ordinary people with ordinary problems need Christ too. So maybe I need to start telling more about how God prepared me through the various ordinary experiences of life to do the things I’m doing now, which still are not flashy, but hopefully constitute a faithful life that is “hidden with Christ in God,” (Colossians 3:3).

I don’t tell my personal conversion story very often. But it’s the story God gave me, so doesn’t that make Him the author? Should I then call it boring?

What about your story, fellow Christian? No matter what it is, it’s the story God gave you. May we always be ready to share our stories with anyone “who asks [us] to give the reason for the hope that [we] have,” (I Peter 3:15, NIV). Each one is a chapter in the story of salvation through Christ. That’s a story that is always worth telling!

“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified.” John 4:39.

Dear God, help me never to be ashamed of the story of my salvation. I know that You can use every part of it, every high and every low, to make me more like Jesus, to demonstrate Your great glory and love, and to draw others to You. I thank You for saving me and forgiving me through Jesus Christ, Your Son and my Savior, Amen.

by Christie Cole Atkins