Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you. (Mark 5:19)
Our son’s short life had great impact. For months after his funeral, handwritten letters and emails poured in, anecdotes from close friends and complete strangers retelling how our son’s story had impacted their hearts. Each message felt sacred—the gospel unfolding at my fingertips. I was grateful to receive them.
But I held my own story close. God’s goodness in our grief was apparent, but I knew God had only completed the first draft. The deepest effects of grief and the grace that transpired were slow-moving. I didn’t want to rush to find meaning, but needed time to be in God’s presence, to let his mercies sink into my being.
Not until five years after our loss did I experience a shift, a gentle prodding that said, “Okay. It’s time.” And I knew—God’s story was no longer mine to hold, but to share.
Our grace stories—the accounts of “how much the Lord has done”—are the continuation of his gospel. By telling our tales of God’s goodness and love, our words return to him as sacred gifts offered for his glory so that all might stand amazed. They become tangible connections between God, his Word, and our humanity, reinforcing that God is who he says he is.
Each of us must ask: What story is God still writing in me, and what is the one he wants me to tell?
Steward God’s story in your life well.
Sarah E. Westfall is an author, speaker, and graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University. She resides in Indiana with her husband, Ben, and their four boys. She really wants a nap.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
