Creating a great story...

"The most often repeated commandment in the Bible is "Do not fear." It's in there over two hundred times. That means a couple of things, if you think about it. It means we are going to be afraid, and it means we shouldn't let fear boss us around."
Donald Miller, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

I actually read this quote yesterday but decided to focus on the other one instead. But then I didn't really read anything that stuck out more to me today - or last night for that matter. I am reading so many books right now, it can be a bit challenging to keep them straight, but I am really challenged by this Donald Miller book. It's all about stories and what it takes to make our lives good stories. And the truth is, my life is not that great a story. I don't know if it's fear that keeps me in this not-so-great story, or maybe it's laziness or lack of motivation, or maybe it's simply that I have no idea what I want in life that would make a better story. So I just stay in this story. It's not a bad story, per se. It's just not a great story.

But this lent, as I seek to draw closer to God, I want to figure out the next step for my story. What is my fear and my lack of motivation keeping me from that would be a great story? What next step would make my story great? What risks do I need to take? What fears do I need to overcome? Where do I need to step out in faith? These are the questions I need to be asking myself in order to create a great story with my life. But I have to really want it, or this rut of routine and ease in my life will be far too tempting to actually make this story I call life great. And that would be a sad story...

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