Making sense of my story
Trying to make sense of your life? Read on...
If we are honest with ourselves, we all reflect on our lives. Some of us are more reflective than others but as humans we all at different points in our lives try to make sense of our lives.
Maybe now, is such a time? If it is, can I urge you to read on because what I have to say could change your life forever. No, it’s not a slick sales pitch to buy my product or use my service. It’s much more profound than that.
Can I ask you four very basic questions that will help you identify what defines you? Here is a simple illustration to help you understand. if I have never seen a motor car before what is going to help me make sense of what it does is to identify the parts of the whole.
For you and me can I suggest that we try and make sense of our lives in the same way. Instinctively because we are human we seek to make sense of our lives by asking;
Who am I?
Again, all of us ask who we are. Some of us do this through genealogies, or the study of our nations history, or some of our experiences thus far in life. Some of you will define yourself by what you do; “I am a good person person ora bad person. I’m a single mother or a divorcee etc. Again, all of us have a sense of self and this defines who we are too. Some of us are outgoing, some are placid others depressive.
What’s wrong with me/ the world?
Again, in all honesty you do not have to be a rocket scientist to know there are serious things wrong with this world. Three come to mind immediately; global warming, bing drinking and road rage. On a personal level, it may be; why am I over weight, or can’t keep a person or a girl or can’t save or feel depressed or angry all the time etc? So in honesty we have to admit things aren’t right in my world or my life.
Who is my saviour?
Now this may be a new thought too you but each of us is trying to find salvation.We may be experiencing, fat hell or single hell or marriage hell or work hell or family hell or mental hell.
But we are all looking for salvation it just expresses it self in ways we may not have identified before. Here’s how it works. If say I am experiencing single hell, I may for my function saviour be using sex. By constantly sleeping with a guy on the first date this is what I’am using to hopefully save me from singleness, but because say I have trust issues, that’s all it every is. Work may be may saviour from a bad marriage or children that disown me.
What are my hopes
We all have hopes. We hope we will have enough super when we retire. We hope we will have grandchildren or go on that overseas trip or buy that new car etc. We hope as part of being human.
Making sense of the parts
Again all of us are using different ways to make sense of our lives. Some of us believe that evolution with it’s random selection and the survival of the fittest makes sense of life. For others of you it may be a very stoic approach or God helps those who helps themselves.
Can I suggest that there is a story that makes sense of my life and gives me a new reality and hope that I couldn’t have dreamed existed but was under my noses.
By now maybe your asking? Is it religion? My answer is no. Religion is all abour being good to earn favour with God and enter heaven.
My answer is that the Bible alone makes sense of your life. What you say! Please hear me out. The story of the Bible makes sense of my life like this
Who am I?
The Bible says that this world and I where made by God for relationship. Why do we have a conscience? Why do we have laws in society. Why do I get angry about the poor or the plight of the homeless. We are made in God’s image, we all know God at some level but we choose to ignore Him. Who am I. I am a human being made by God to know Him and relate to Him as a child relates to it’s parents. I am the crown of God’s creation. I have great worth! I am not defined by what I do, but by who I truly am. A divine creation.
What’s wrong with me?
The story of the Bible is that God made humans and this world. But long ago we rebelled against this God and plunged our world and humans into confusion. God says that we live our lives totally ignoring God. We are rebellious, independent. We know what’s good for us and we would submit to a high power. A base what is wrong with me is that I am out of relation with God. We are strangers, enemies, aliens. So it’s no wonder that I feel lonely or depressed or angry or quilty etc. All these emotions are the fruit of this rebellion and estrangement
Who is my saviour?
If that new diet or lover or job or car or baby can’t really be my function saviour who can.
Because this world is such a mess and we know that death will end all our lives and that there is an after life, who can save me from this world and myself and the consequences of ignoring this loving and good God?
The amazing news is that 2000 years ago this God took on human flesh and became one of us. All the prophecies about Him came true. When He was on earth He proved He was God by doing such things as
Overcoming disease and walking on water and death. Because He identifies with our humanity He knows what we are going through. He suffered as Man and God. But He was also a saviour. He saves us from His father because He is angry at our ignoring Him. WE worship other Gods but He wants us be love and adorn Him. He must punish our idolatry and rebellion, but in Jesus Christ that has happened.
On the cross, Jesus became the sacrifice we so desperately need. God pour His anger out on Jesus and He offers us forgiveness and a fresh start. He overcame death for us and offers us peace and hope. He will return one day as judge. He will make a new world of this one
What is my hope?
Only the story of the Bible offers real hope. The hope of a new world where there is now more rebellion, sickness or death. Do you want this hope? Start over living for God rather than against Him?
He is calling you now, why not surrender and run into His loving arms and cry out for His forgiveness and cleanings from you rebellious life. He will hear you and make you new from the inside.
Next be sorry for living your life with no reference to God or His Son. You have ignored God as Father and so you must turn away from your independence to live his way as told in the Bible. Pray that God will change you into a new person and then tell us about it so we can help you grow as a new person that responds by loving God, Jesus and others by the power of His Holy Spirit. You can join an Indigenous Christian community and learn how to live for Jesus Christ and love others from the Bible…
Paul Thompson and Tim Keller