Each of us is living out the story we’ve written for our lives. What is the story that you are telling yourself and how can you change the ending? Here are 5-steps to help you re-write your future replacing pain with purpose.
What is pain?
The dictionary defines pain as (1) a physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury; (2) careful effort; great care or trouble, but I submit to you that there is a third type of pain–the one that causes you to change!
Everyone at some point in life has experienced some level of physical or emotional pain, and we all know, it’s not fun! For most, physical pain heals sometimes within minutes, as when you stub your toe, or it can take months, like after having an operation, but for the most part, we don’t usually expect physical pain to last for years on end. Emotional pain, on the other end can be held on to for years without anyone ever knowing that the bearer is suffering. One can walk around for years wearing the mask of a happy face on the outside, but internally they bare the burden of carrying around years of unreleased emotional pain that is holding them captive from within. The danger in this second scenario is that one can never truly be free to be all that God has called them to be until they release themselves from this prison and step out, breaking the bondage of fear and hurt and walking into their destiny with strength and dignity.
Pain That Causes You To Change
The pain that causes you to change is the pain that occurs suddenly; you may not see it coming and you may not even expect it to arrive when it does, but “BAM!”, there it is. It’s as if you were sleepwalking through life and suddenly jolted out of bed by the power of the Holy Spirit telling you to “WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP! I have so much more for you to do, and you’re sleeping on the job!”
John 10:10 (KJV) says, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” That means that although you may have allowed the enemy to steal years of your life, kill your dreams and attempt to destroy your future, where you are today is not the end of the story. God has soooo much more for you; He wants to fan the flames of the dreams and desires that He’s placed within you. He wants to give you “more…abundantly“. How awesome is that!
Where Do I Start?
I’m glad you asked…Before you can really get to where you want to go, you have to first identify where you are and how you got there. Then, you can begin to map out a plan for where you want to go, the timing in which you’d like to get there, and all of the amazing things you want to experience along the way. Below I have identified a few steps I have personally taken to change my own personal story of one of self-doubt, low self- esteem and depression, to one of expectation and confidence in the fact that my steps are ordered of the Lord so I’m definitely on the path of greatness with goodness and mercy following me all the days of my life.
- What story have you been telling yourself?
First, you need to ask yourself “What is the story I’m telling myself?” Now, what do I mean by that? Each of us is responsible for writing our own story. Yes, God has a plan and a purpose for us, but if you are constantly thinking and speaking defeat over your life, you are not aligning your thoughts, your words and your actions with the Word of God and what He says about you. You are in constant opposition.
Think about when you were a child and someone told you a bedtime story, or if you have children of your own, think about some of the stories you may have told them before they go to sleep at night. Think about how excited a child is to hear that story every night before they close their eyes; the anticipation of hearing of the journeys that their favorite bed time character experiences, as if they are living the story themselves. If you’re like me, I tired very easily of reading the same books over and over every night, so every once in a while to break things up, I would make up my own story and if it were really good, my children would ask me the next night to tell them that story again. The difference on the second and third nights of telling that story, is that I would expand the ending to make it even more exciting and engaging than the night before. I would describe in great detail the places that the characters would visit, the smells they would smell, the things they would see, all so that my children could close their eyes and visualize themselves seeing that very story come to life in their own minds.Our lives are the same way…No matter what we’ve gone through in the past, we are given every second of every new day to rewrite our ending.
The Bible, which is the ultimate instruction manual for our lives already tells us in the back of the book that We Win, so while I’m here on earth, I plan to win! Too many times we wear our hurts and our pains as badges on our chest, to proclaim to the world that “I can’t move forward because he/she hurt me, or they said those things about me…” We have to have the strength to move past those things because we only bring glory to the enemy when we constantly keep our minds and our focus on all of the wrong that has happened in our lives, but when we change the theme music of our story from “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen…” to “I Am a Champion“, then that’s when true change can occur.
2. Let’s Get This Out On The Table…
Second, grab a sheet of paper and write out the story you’ve been telling yourself, whether it’s “I’m not smart enough”, “I’m too old for…”, “I’m too young for…”, “Nobody loves me”, “I don’t have enough money for…”, etc… whatever the story has been for you, write it down on a sheet of paper. Next, identify on that same sheet of paper, where did that story come from? If it came from words you heard as a child, or co-workers, relatives, etc., identify where you think the source started. Now set the paper aside for a second…
3. Writing Your New Story
Next, it’s time to re-write the story you just wrote about your life. You’re not a writer you say? I beg to differ. You’ve been writing your story all along, the only difference now, is that you are going to be conscious of what you are writing and write it the way you want it to be, being thankful and confident that every word will come to pass and is already available to you. This new story may also mean that you have to cut some people out that are not aligned with where you want to go. Some characters may not make the cut and that’s all right.
The first place to start when writing your new story is the Word of God. Why? Because if your story has been all “doom and gloom” and “woe is me” up to now, then you don’t know who you are and what God has called you to be.
4. Identify What The Word Say About Your Situation
Understanding your position in the Kingdom is imperative. Not knowing your rights as a citizen of the Kingdom of God is like not knowing that a wealthy relative has left you their billion dollar estate in a will that is hidden in a shoe box in the back of a closet in the attic. You can never experience the joy of what has been left to you if you don’t know that it’s yours.
Below are a few scriptures that you can use to rewrite your story with a victory every step of the way. I encourage you to study the Word and pull out those scriptures that speak to you personally, so that you can write them, read them, and live them with boldness.
- He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. (Isaiah 40:29)
- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
- If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)
- For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7)
- There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling (Psalm 91:10)
- So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me (Hebrews 13:6)
- Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. (3 John 2)
- As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12)
- But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)
- Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full (John 16:24)
5. Write Your Story, Walk Your Story, Live in Victory!
Here is an example of how you can re-write your story using the scriptures I’ve written above and envision the life you desire through Christ. This should be written with thanksgiving in the present tense.
Father God, first and foremost I ask that you forgive me of my sins and I thank you that as far as the east is from the west, so far have You removed my sins from me (Psalm 103:12). I thank you that Your Word is true. I thank you that I receive every promise that you have for me. Your Word tells me in John 16:24, that I have asked nothing in your name and that I should ask in the authority of Jesus' name, and I will receive, so that my joy may be full; so I come before you asking and thanking you for meeting every need in my life, emotionally, spiritually, physically and financially. I know that according to Philippians 4:19, You shall supply all my needs according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus, so I need not worry or be afraid because if You be for me, who can be against me (Romans 8:31)! I thank you for blessing me with every good blessing. I thank you that I am blessed coming in and going out (Deuteronomy 28:6) and everything that I touch prospers. I thank you that I have more than enough money to pay all of my bills on time and I know that according to 3 John 2, that You wish above all things that I may prosper and be in health, even as my soul prospers. No longer will I see myself as defeated. No longer will I walk in depression because the joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10). No longer will I confess that I am weak because your Word in Isaiah 40:29 promises that You will give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak. No longer will I confess say what I "can't" do because Philippians 4:13 confirms to me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. No longer will I confess fear, because God has not given me the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Today and every day I declare and decree that I walk in boldness; my steps are ordered of the Lord, and no evil will befall me, neither shall any plague come near my dwelling (Psalm 91:10). I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I have the mind of Christ. I am created by God. I am called by God. I walk in victory on my job, in my home, in my business, in my community and I speak to every mountain in my life and tell it to be removed right now in the authority of Jesus' Name! Because I declare this day that the Lord is my refuge, and I make the Most High my dwelling, no harm will overtake me, and no disaster will come near my home (Psalm 91:10). Finally, I thank You that although others may walk away and leave me, You said, You will never leave me, nor forsake me, so that I may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me (Hebrews 13:6). I thank you that you are bringing people into my life that will build me up and not tear me down, encourage and not discourage me at all times and challenge me to take the necessary steps to be all that you've created me to be. I declare and decree that this and all other blessings that you have for me are mine and I take hold of them and walk into my future with boldness from this day forward!
Old Things Are Passed Away
Now that you have your new story written, go back to the sheet of paper with the old story on it, mark a big ‘X’ across the page, ball it up and throw it out. That is no longer your story. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Walk in newness of life.
