Have you ever noticed on social media how most posts seem glamorous? A friend goes on a beautiful vacation, another buys a new home full of exciting amenities, and others have families that look so good with so much going well. Those posts don’t make us feel very good; in fact, they can make us feel very jealous.
When a friend shares that their daughter has leukemia and the treatments are not going well, envy is replaced with empathy and care. We are no longer jealous; rather, we are moved to do something to help. You realize how thankful you are for the good things in your life.
When we open up and share our stories of struggle and triumph over adversities, we have the power to inspire and encourage others. Our vulnerability is not a weakness, but a strength that brings out the best in people. It reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles and that there is always hope.
Everyone is important. Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone has a seat at the table. You are valuable. God created you as a unique individual. The enemy seeks to deny everyone of value, wanting to destroy any hope, any love, and any care for us and between us. God wants you to know you are loved and that he wants you to share your story with Him and with others.
People seem to love the story where the underdog has been beaten down by some force, either their past mistakes, bullies, or just plain bad luck. They come back from terrible odds to survive and even thrive. We see it in the stories of J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien, many adventure movies, etc. We love it when bad things, especially evil things, are overcome.
Life is full of challenges, but we are not alone in our struggles. We all have a story to share and a loving God who sees us and wants to encourage us in our stories. Think of Hagar in Genesis (chapters 16 and 21:8-21), who named God “The God who sees me.” Just like Hagar, God sees you and hears you. He has a place for you at His table and invites you to come. When you do, He will help you find hope in your story, and you can then go and share that hope with others.
• Fred LaPlante is the pastor at Juneau Church of the Nazarene. “Living and Growing” is a weekly column written by different authors and submitted by local clergy and spiritual leaders. It appears every Saturday on the Juneau Empire’s Faith page.
