EPIC
Long narrative poem in elevated style recounting the deeds of a legendary or historical hero
Series of events or body of legend or tradition thought to form the proper subject of an epic
Extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially in size or scope
There are so many great stories, however, every epic story does begin with God. The most epic story ever written was the bible, which is filled with so many epic stories. “Which God uses ordinary people living inspirational lives despite extraordinary circumstances.” The bible is so great as it shows us who God is his character, who we are through him, where we go externally, and what we should be doing daily to follow the hero of this epic. As we live our lives it makes sense as we place our trust in God we are now apart of his story.
There was a time where I felt my story wasn’t worth being shared, and growing up this reality was so apparent as I used to think that my story needed to have a low that went to a high, this inflicted doubt that my story wasn’t good enough, or did not glorify God as much as I saw in others lives. Growing up I have attended Watermark Church from a very early age, and I have been taught some great leaders, who modeled what it looked to walk with the Lord wholeheartedly. Psalm
139:14 truly was a life changer. “I praise you, for I am fearfully & wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it full well.” To know that I am gods workmanship, and his treasure, by believing my testimony was unworthy I was denying the glory of God. by believing my story was unworthy I was denying the glory of God. The life and path God has chosen to give me was his work displayed, and my story was deserving of his praise, my story was meant to be shouted from the mountains and rooftops. When I was 11 I came to realize, what God did on the cross and how undeserving God himself wanted to do so much more in my life than just exist, I am a sinner who is far from perfect and covered in sin, however, God wanted to save me and that is what he did.
In high school, I have struggled because of my type one diabetes, but the darkness I want to address is the Hurt and bitterness that filled my heart and life as I experienced the dysfunction of a divorce in my family. The people I had admired most throughout my life had broken my trust. As my life shattered to pieces. Due to my parents modeling and telling that purity and commitment towards each other were what they were going to do for the rest of their lives it was hard to see it turn into a divorce. This affected my life as my emotions turned discontentment as well as the bitterness that I was using towards my family and God.
Out of all my struggles, this was the deepest and most difficult one. There were nights where I couldn’t understand how this happened to my family, and why it had to hurt me so badly, and why it affected me. The way I treated people and the way I wanted to live my life, was different than my younger years. Desperate for answers, I poured over the Bible and my small group and was encouraged. I was living in the dark, living an empty life compared to the kind of fullness that God had to offer and lavish upon me, And the truth is that I felt some difference once I felt peace and stillness in my heart. My emotions could have easily led me away from God, but instead, I turned to Him and pressed on despite the pain. I felt something that was yet to be matched, Isaiah 43:19 “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland”. I lost the ability to relate to my heavenly Father in that time and I certainly didn’t think that God had anything to say, or even cared, about the dysfunction in my life. I’m sometimes still tempted to think that way today. But he does. He speaks. And he cares!
I once lived in the darkness of hurt and bitterness founded in my parents’ divorce, but God’s light has flooded into my life, and I no longer have to live in anger because God has already forgiven me, I can forgive myself, he has given me the weapons of the word to fight against non believers, Instead of silence, he whispers to my heart time and time again. He is on my shoulder walking with me, leading me anywhere and everywhere he calls to be apart of his story daily.
At the beginning of Luke there is a story of Zachariah and Elizabeth, for many years were waiting to have a to have children. But regardless of what happened, they set there minds and trust in God and his plan. They walked full-heartedly with the lord, and did not look down upon their difficult circumstances, and compromise there circumstances for others. They waited for many years and God gave them a child.
Another great story found in Mark 5:21 the Story of Jarius and his daughter. A poor woman had suffered for many years. From bleeding. She tried to get help for many years but he was getting worse. This woman was helpless and hopeless and ashamed. She needs needed Jesus. She trusted Jesus could heal her. She prayed at Jesus’ feet and asked for healing, she was about to die but Jesus had healed her. Her ked who touched him and it was her. She was ultimately in fearful but God wanted her to know that she had done well to put her trust in Him after many years of waiting and hardship she could still say “ Fear not, Only believe and that is what she did.”
Now that’s faith!
You are a piece of work — God’s work. You are an epic poem, we are God-imaging stories. Your poem contains all the pain, but will never be able to understand the pain of Jesus dying on the cross. If you think your story is not worth being told you wrong. In hurt, God wants to heal us, and for us to share our stories.
As God uses us. our story can be epic – not because we are extraordinary people, but because God is extraordinary. God uses ordinary people, and he has given us our stories called our testimonies to demonstrate how we are apart of the epic story of the Bible. He also has given us life circumstances, to live inspiring lives centered being willing to be wholehearted towards God. Like what is seen best in the stories of those in the bible who put there trust in Jesus.
