WEDNESDAY'S WORD - NARRATIVE - 05/31/17 Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

"If there was one overarching theme to 'True Detective,' I would say it was that, as human beings, we are nothing but the stories we live and die by - so you'd better be careful what stories you tell yourself." - Nic Pizzolatto - Writer NARRATIVE- is a spoken or written account of connected events; the narrated parts of a literary work, as distinct from dialogue; the practice or art of telling stories; or the representation of a particular situation or process in such a way as to conform to an overarching set of aims or values. A narrator, often the object of the story in a book or film, gives a spoken account that helps the audience relate. The phrase,"change the narrative" means to change the framework within which events are perceived and interpreted. Our perceptions form our personal narrative...the story that we tell ourselves and others. We go on to interpret and often live out whatever that story might be even if it contradicts for good or for bad, with the facts, the opinions of others, or the truth of God's Word. This has been true since the beginning.   Adam willfully sinned by eating the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Then he hid from the Lord."Then the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" He said, I heard the sound of You in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.  And He said, "Who told you you were naked?" Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate." (Gen. 3:9-12) Eve had her blame-filled narrative as well, "Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." (vs. 13) Unfortunately, the story they told themselves could not absolve them of the responsibility for their choices. Maybe that's not your story. Perhaps you've assumed blame, guilt and shame for something that's really NOT your fault.   The story we tell ourselves can be crippling or liberating. Everyone around us can believe that we are the best thing since sliced bread, but if we're telling ourselves a different story...that becomes our truth, which will displace any other opinion and rule our lives. What story are you telling yourself about your personal trauma?  I am in awe of Joseph, who after being betrayed, left for dead by his brothers, thrown into slavery, falsely accused of rape and imprisoned...came out of all that anguish and suffering saying, "you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." (Gen. 50:20) Talk about changing the narrative! Joseph had to internally change his framework from self-pity to acceptance of and submission to God's purpose for those events. It wasn't that they hadn't happened to him. It was that His PERCEPTION, UNDERSTANDING, and INTERPRETATION of the MEANING of the events had changed.  What stories have you been telling yourself? If you believe God works all things together for GOOD, maybe it's time to change your narrative!

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