Want to experience God? Share your story.

This weekend I had the opportunity to share my story at a local Prayer Breakfast.  The theme of the day was “Following God’s Call”.  I was overjoyed because me and my family are indeed following God’s call for our lives.  God quickly directed me to Deuteronomy 4:9-10, paraphrased,

“Do not forget what your eyes have seen.

Teach them to your children.

Remember… ”     

As children of God, we must remember ‘what our eyes have seen’ and share those stories.  By sharing our stories with one another, we are following God’s call for our lives.  In that sharing, someone may experience God.  I participated in this first hand at the prayer breakfast.  Through my sharing, other people experienced God.  God is amazing!

So let me ask you, when was the last time you experienced God?  Do you remember?  Can you think of a time that God spoke to you or touched you in some profound way?  We need to remember our stories.  In fact, God is not only calling us to remember, God is calling us to share those stories.  You might be thinking, “who would I share it with?”  Well, start with those closest to you.  That could be your family; spouse, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, the neighbor kid down the street.  Jesus tells us this, in Mark 5:19, “…go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.”  What if by sharing your story, someone in your family experienced God for the very first time.  What if in your sharing, their life was changed forever?

I have action steps today, I hope you will choose to participate.

1. Reflect on your experiences with God.
2. Find one moment where you know that was God.
3. Write it down or journal it.
4. Pray over the experience.  Thank God for it and ask God to show you who you should share this story with.  When God speaks to your heart, it may be as simple as a name that pops in your mind.  Write it down.
5. Begin praying that God will give you the opportunity to share your story with this person.  I am confident that God will.

You may be squirming a bit over this exercise.  That’s normal.  I have to tell you, I was rather uncomfortable sharing my story on Saturday.  You would think that as I continue to share, that some of the nervousness would go away.  But maybe we need to be a little uncomfortable.  It is okay to feel uncomfortable.  Often, the discomfort is the very thing that holds us back from experiencing God on a deeper more intimate level.  Push through the discomfort.  If you will be obedient to what God is calling you to do, God will use you in mighty ways.  There is someone that needs to hear your story.  If I had not pushed through on Saturday, I would not have met all those wonderful people.  I would have missed the opportunity to pray with them and hear their stories of God at work in their lives.  I am so encouraged today by what I experienced with them.  God is connecting HIS people for a greater cause.  We have no idea how God will use us if we will let him.  Can you imagine if you shared your story with just one person and they experienced God for the very first time?  A blessing for you and an eternal gift for them.  Share your stories!

Dear Lord, forgive us for not remembering all the times you have worked in our lives.  Help us see you clearly.  Give us the boldness we need to share our stories with those around us.  Help us to understand that it is in our sharing that we experience YOU.  In Jesus name, Amen.  -M