Embracing Our Stories: Faith, Influence, and Gratitude

Everybody's got a story everybody's story matters immensely not just to you but to God and nobody gets the story that they want there's actually one of the most inspiring passages I think not just in the Bible but in all of human literature in the book of Hebrews chapter 11 the story of great Heroes of the faith Abraham and Moses and Deborah and uh people who they have a strong object of desire a story is your story is you have a heart's desire something that you deeply want you got problems there's conflict and these are both inevitably a part of life and uh these people in Hebrews 11 were told they were all commended for their faith cuz none of them got what was promised they they never got to fully receive what it is that they wanted they always had to face big conflict but they kept running they didn't give up and then the writer of Hebrews says now since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. [00:11:28]

So who are the people that have shaped your life and a real important part of uh learning to grow is to identify them to be aware of their deficiencies and their inadequacies and uh the people who are part of our life will have misshaped us and deformed Us in some ways um but to be very grateful that God sent us the people who shaped us and uh most likely pretty much all of them have done that in ways that we can be grateful for and so this might be a really good day to just pause and think about your teachers maybe your parents maybe folks who are part of a church maybe a friend who has shaped you. [00:03:14]

And how do you express thanks to God for them how is it that they're part of your story and then how do you express gratitude for that and part of one of the questions that comes with that is not just who are the people that are in my cloud but who are the people that God is calling me to help shape whose Cloud should I be in we were having a conversation yesterday and somebody made a comment when it comes to how do you help shape somebody else's life what is it that enables you what will enable you today to be a part of somebody else's story. [00:04:02]

You know what the number one thing you need is you need today the ability to listen to Listen to God and then listen to another person and somebody put it like this it's important to remember that listening is not the same thing as just not talking that may be the primary thought you need to carry away today listening is not just the same thing as simply not talking to truly listen means even in this moment right now I humble myself and I'm aware that God is right here cuz any place can be a prayer Chapel God what is it that you want to say and then I really look at the other person look into their face and their eyes and are their shoulders back and is there a sense of confidence are they kind of slumped are they going through difficulties listening is not the same as not talking. [00:04:46]

So who who do you want to be a part of their Cloud who do you want to uh influence and and who do you want to have shape you I mentioned a book on spiritual Memoir by Richard ler also we're going to walk together as we think about our stories through uh great Giants people that we all want in our cloud of witnesses in a wonderful resource there's a book called devotional Classics and it was put together by Richard Foster and Jim Smith quite a few years ago and it looks at all kinds of U remarkable Souls Hearts minds and some of their very best choicest words and so we're going to look at those together. [00:05:41]

It when you feel slighted by someone or undervalued do not Harbor any secret anger supposing you actually deserved praise and they overlooked your value or neglected to praise you do not try to seek out a group of flatterers who will take your side in whose vain noises and empty Praises you may try to keep up your high opinion of yourself that's not who you want in your Cloud do not entertain any of the devil's Whispers of greatness or Pride such as that of Nebuchadnezzar is not this the great Babylon that I have built to honor my own name for the might of my Majesty some people spend their time dreaming of greatness envisioning theaters full of people applauding them all this is nothing but the fumes of Pride instead take an active part in the praising of others entertaining their good with delight. [00:07:27]

Today what's your story who's in your Cloud who are the people that have shaped you and for all of the good in it just pause and thank you God thank you God thank you God thank you for this witness and for that witness for their story and how it intersects with my story and oh God would you help me today be a part of somebody else's story remember right now remember listening is not the same thing as just not talking everybody's got a story your story becomes great when you become a great part of other people's stories. [00:08:36]

Everybody has a story and everybody's story matters and we want to know about your story whether it's a story of coming to Faith or a story of spiritual growth whatever it is we're here for you you can email that to us at connectcom new.com or you can text it to us you can also sign up for daily reminders whenever we drop a new video via text by texting the word become to the number 855 888 0444 you can also send us prayer requests there there's a team of us that meet to pray each weekday for viewers just like yourself if you'd like to receive the emails that go along with each video be sure to check that out at becom new.com ssubscribe more than a video to watch this is really a community to belong to and we're so glad that you're a part of it we'll catch you next time. [00:09:25]