It Can Start Now - Room for New

When we feel the Spirit nudging us to share our stories, Satan will often try to fill that headspace with lies of why we shouldn’t. It may look something like this:

“It’s still too soon. You’re not healed enough.”
“Your story isn’t as good as ____’s.”
“Your grief isn’t that big of a deal. You’re being dramatic.”
“You have nothing good to say.”
“There are many great stories out there already. What good will yours’ do?”
“You’re just doing it to get more attention.”

Whatever the lie or negative thought might be, know that you can dismiss it and you can start sharing your grief journey now. I’m not saying everyone should start sharing the moment they experience a loss. There is a season where time and space is needed to heal and to let God work in the situation. But it can be easy to let these lies get in your head and let them prevent you from speaking hope and encouragement into someone else’s life.

For awhile, I felt like I was unqualified to share my story because I was still hurt by my loss. Even if I had the opportunity to share, what I shared wasn’t 100% honest because I felt like it had to be put-together or that I had to give off the impression that I had healed. I would say what I thought people wanted to hear vs. just being honest with where I was really at.

If you feel a pull to share your story in a given situation, that is the Holy Spirit. If you’re having any of the thoughts above, you can rest assured that it’s all because Satan is trying to prevent you from bringing hope to someone’s life, giving you all the more reason to share.

You don’t have to be done grieving to tell your story. Grief is oftentimes a life-long process. Some people may find that discouraging because they see grief as a negative thing, and for awhile, I did too. But it’s because my form of grieving wasn’t God-centered. I was letting Satan rule my thoughts and attack me as a person, instead of letting God transform me. My grief was based on “what’s wrong with me?” vs. “God, what do you want to speak to me?”

Whether you’ve recently lost someone or it’s been years, you can start now. You can share your journey no matter how long it’s been, how healed you are, how traumatic the situation was, etc. Because even if it’s one person, that one person could be transformed by hearing what God wants to say through you.

If you’ve felt attacked by these lies lately (or any other lies that I didn’t write down), I’m so sorry you are walking through that. It’s a very difficult mind game, but there is freedom available to you. One sure way to freedom is speaking His Word to battle those thoughts. See below for different verses that apply to these lies.

For those feeling like they’ll never heal:

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:26 (ESV)

For those feeling like their story isn’t as good as someone else’s:

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:15-16 (ESV)

For those feeling like their grief doesn’t sound like that big of a deal to others:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV)

For those feeling like they have nothing good to say:

For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Matthew 10:20 (ESV)

For those feeling like sharing their story is pointless because of other stories out there:

For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13 (ESV)

For those wanting to avoid looking as if they want attention, or fearing giving off the wrong impression:

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 55:22 (ESV)