You have a pain story. Everyone does. It’s quite telling how you narrate your story. The good news is that pain is not the whole story nor are you alone in your pain.
The fallen world we live in offers plenty of pain. We grieve over health, relationships, and death. We suffer from financial difficulties, political differences, and daily disruptions. Moral injury happens when you experience something you know is wrong.
Psychologist Larry Crabb describes four ways people might narrate their pain stories. Do one of these track your thoughts about life, even if you don’t use these exact words?
“I’m a victim.” You think the odds are stacked against you or your tribe. Life is not fair. You do what you can and hope you survive. You need someone to step in with some kind of support.
“I’m a hero.” You have been through hell and back, and people should applaud you. You hold your head up and keep slaying the dragons in your life. People should listen to your voice of experience.
“I’m a cynic.” Nothing in life works like it should. People always let you down. Nothing is as it seems. Those aren’t “conspiracy” theories because you are “in the know.” But nothing really matters anyway.
“I’m a clown.” Forget about the pain and move on. The glass is half-full. You’re successful because you smile through the pain. Life is too short, so keep laughing.
Even though these story lines might contain an element of truth, they do not consider the transcendent. They are disenchanted stories, incomplete at best. The question is, how is God present in your life amid the pain? Is He forming your character, giving you the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of love, joy, or patience? Is He calling you to repentance or humility? Is He reminding you of His calming presence or the hope of eternity? Is He calling you to trust Him with your life as well as your soul?
The Bible reveals how evil and pain entered the world, which God created in beauty and innocence. He made humans with free will, along with an invitation to love and obey Him. But we as a human race fell from that innocence. Faith in Jesus Christ is the way back to peace with God.
It pained the Hebrew prophet to see what happened to his nation, but he recognized God’s presence in suffering. “Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness. Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me. This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope: The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lam. 3:19-23). Now that is how to tell a story!