Each one of us was born into a story already underway.
Think about that for a moment. Before you took your first breath, there were people who had lived, struggled, loved, sacrificed, made mistakes, and made choices that would eventually lead to the Chapter named after you.
Your Chapter is part of a much larger book.
This means your chapter is somewhere between the beginning and the end. Somewhere in the middle, but not at the center.
Let’s Go to the Movies
Imagine walking into a classic epic halfway through the movie, say, The Ten Commandments, with Charlton Heston, and entered the theatre at the very moment Moses begins his journey out of Egypt, alone, for the first time.
At that moment, all we would know is this man, Moses, was beginning a long and difficult journey with very limited supplies.
We wouldn’t know he was raised a prince of Egypt. We wouldn’t know the choices he made, the people he loved, the things he lost, nor the events that brought him to the journey he was on.
All we would know is this man, dirty, frightened, exhausted, thirsty and depleted, was walking through the wilderness.
Moses’ story was already underway when we entered the room. His life was a part of a much larger story, one whose full meaning we could not possibly understand from the few scenes we witnessed.
As such, our viewpoint is limited.
And yet, isn’t that how we view our own lives?
Our perspective is….. We were born and the world began.
Within this world view, we begin to live as though nothing mattered before us and nothing will matter after us. We place our own lives at the center of the universe, viewing everything in relation to ourselves.
Our experiences, our struggles, our feelings, and our dreams become the measure by which we interpret the world.
But that is not reality.
The Story is Not Ours
Within our own chapter, we may feel like the main character. We experience events from our own perspective, after all. Everything that is seen and felt is related directly to our person. The consequences of our choices are ours alone to confront and embrace.
But step outside our own chapter for a moment, and the perspective changes.
We now hold the role of supporting characters; the story being much larger than any single chapter. This story was written with a plot, a plan and a purpose. The author being larger than time itself, God, holds His own agenda beyond the limited understanding of mankind.
Our chapter matters.
But it is only a chapter.
The difference of this understanding concretes one’s world view.
The Story Belongs To God
His-story. History. It all belongs to God.
When we look backward from our limited perspective, we see a collection of dates and events: wars, presidents, inventions, births, and deaths. We organize everything into timelines and chapters and sometimes wonder how it all fits together.
As we mature, we start to wonder where our little chapter fits within the larger story. At times, it all seems so disjointed and incomprehensible.
But what may appear to us as a collection of disconnected events is not disconnected to God.
He created each generation and works through them according to His purposes. Each one becomes part of something much larger than itself, a story whose ending we cannot yet see and whose full meaning we may never completely understand, even with the glimpses He has provided in Scripture.
This is why obedience becomes crucial. For certainly without knowing the story line or plot, we would be lost in a sea of paragraphs and phrases whose meaning we cannot yet understand.
We are called to trust Him, to have faith, and to obey regardless of what we see or don’t see. He is merciful when we struggle, and He is patient when we bring our complaints and confusion to Him in prayer.
So, we obey and we trust…… that He knows what He is doing.
Your Chapter Matters
Now that I have diminished all thoughts of self-centeredness, it equally important to understand even though our part in the larger story is small, our section is incredibly important and perfectly placed.
Every person is entrusted by the Almighty with a beginning, an ending and everything in between. Every generation forms a bridge between the one that came before and the one that comes after. The choices we make cam determine much of the future for those who come after us. The path that we walk can bring honor to God or dishonor to ourselves.
It is an exciting life, for within it are mysteries inside of mysteries, waiting to be discovered at the right time. The greatest of all mysteries is discovering who God is, the intricate nuances of his nature and character. For example, did you know that two of God’s characteristics if Fire and Water? More to come on that, later. He will show you things that make no sense and then one day make perfect sense. Great, amazing mysteries.
Mysteries Inside of Mysteries
Another mystery is discovering who God made us to be. One would think we would be all-knowing on this subject, but such is not the case. You will surprise yourself with what you are capable of doing automatically without thinking. You will stand amazed at your ability to accomplish feats that you never knew you could. And you will be awe struck at how your love can change the course of human existence.
And together, God and you, as a team deepen a relationship that makes creation glow with light. As you mature through time, seeking wisdom, you will be made aware, that at the same time, we are both insignificant and significant. We both matter and do not matter. And as we stand tall and proud of our accomplishments, at the same moment we can be on the ground prostrate in humble adoration of the Most High God.
There Is something truly wonderful about the complexity of this journey.
It truly is a great life when we remember our value in His eyes.
The Danger
There is great danger is self-centeredness. It is a cruel deception and distortion of reality.
Our desires become more important than our responsibilities. Feelings begin to determine what is true. Our perspective becomes that the world owes us something, simply because we exist.
In this mindset manipulated distortions of reality are faded away from factual evidence. Others are judged based upon our own circumstances, forgetting that they may be holding a completely different set of cards.
They might not even be playing the same game.
It becomes easier to forget and ignore previous generations, their sacrifices, their battles, their mistakes, and the lessons learned. We forget that because of their battles, sacrifices made, and failures endured, we exist.
Relationships suffer.
Communication breaks down.
Gratitude gives way to entitlement.
Forgiveness becomes difficult, if not impossible.
Pride replaces humility.
Anger replaces love.
Eventually, a cycle of never-ending distress begins to govern lives. And when enough individuals live that way, families fracture and communities divide. As the family goes, society follows.
Only darkness and despair benefit.
Perhaps, even more dangerous, is what happens when we forget that our lives have been entrusted to us as stewards of something much larger than ourselves. When we focus entirely upon ourselves, God is gradually pushed to the edges of our lives and eventually forgotten.
Opportunities to serve Him may go unnoticed.
Lessons may remain unlearned.
Blessings may never be passed along.
And chances to touch another life with hope and love may simply pass us by.
What a tragedy it would be to reach the end of our chapter and realize that we were so focused on ourselves that we missed what God was inviting us to become. For truly, everyone has an identity in Christ.
Going Forward
No one knows at a young age what the purpose of their life will be. As we grow and mature, God provides instruction and guidance, but it takes time.
As we learn more about Him and His character, He begins to reveal how our lives fit into His purpose. For some people, their role may be a single moment of action. For others, it may be a lifetime of quiet service that few will ever notice. There truly is no limit to the ways God can use a life!
Knowing this should produce humility. It should make us curious about those who came before us. We should wonder about their choices, their struggles, their faith, and the circumstances that shaped the lives they passed down to us.
Sometimes we discover familiar patterns running through generations, both good and bad. At times you’ll see one brave person break patterns of familial darkness, allowing you to join in celebrating their victories. While other lives will leave you feeling quite empty and sad as you see opportunities wasted.
Through all the discovery great wisdom can be found.
As your life progresses, you will begin to not only think of those who came before you, but about those who will come after you. You may find yourself wondering:
What will remain of me?
Am I leaving behind lessons of value that will endure the test of time?
What will the lives of my grandchildren be like and what will they understand about life?
Am I leaving behind any acts of true kindness?
Live Your Chapter Faithfully
Our choices can reach so much further into the future than we can see. That is why learning to see yourself properly in the balance of all things is so vitally important. It is the beginning of living a life filled with holy and true purpose.
It is a life filled with the Joy of God, a life capable of enduring when extreme difficulties arise.
So, live your chapter faithfully.
Discover who God made you to be.
Learn more about yourself, your dreams, your abilities, your gifts, and even your preferences. Allow yourself to grow in grace and wisdom.
Then be flexible enough to let God mold you, for He truly will. If you remain willing, He will shape you into who you are destined to become. And I am quite certain that person will be astronomically Brillant!!!
You will shine.
And all of Heaven will rejoice at what God has accomplished through you.
Then one day before you know it, your chapter will be complete. What will remain are the gifts you gave, the kindness you showed, the lessons you taught, the wisdom you passed down, the generosity you offered, the stability you created, and the love you stitched into the great fabric of life.
My Prayer for You
My prayer is that when your chapter is finally read, it will reveal someone who understood they were never the center of the story—but one who faithfully played their part.
That, my dear one, is a life worth living.
Leave a Reply