Dim Sum and FaithSýnishorn

We Each Have a Story That Is Worth Telling

You and I have a story that began long before we were born. In Psalm 139:15-16, the psalmist writes, "You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed" (NLT). The reality of such truth can feel like too much to grasp. If this is true, why do we so often still struggle to experience deep worth and meaning in our lives? Reading these verses might even make us feel uncomfortable to be so seen by God, who sometimes feels distant and unresponsive.

We are all looking to make sense of our lives, to find meaning in the things we do, to feel purposeful in what feels ordinary and mundane. These longings grow with time because, as we get older, we may find ourselves more and more dissatisfied with the ways in which we have come to live on autopilot.

When we are young, we cannot understand the full reality of our family structure and dynamics, our cultural environment, and the various communities we live in. Most of us can only find our way through it. We become really good at adapting on our own, even if we know God. We also find ways to numb our pain. God invites us now to untangle those ways and discover and acknowledge his faithful hand, which has been over us for all of our years.

Many cultures believe that our stories are interconnected through the generations. As an Asian American, it is difficult for me to speak of my story without referencing those who have come before me. Each of us has a migration story, although those who are indigenous to the land have experienced different elements of migration. The layers of our journeys add complexity to our family stories.

Ephesians 3:14-15 says, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named” (ESV). This Scripture is profound because it speaks of our families being named by God. Every family. Including yours and including mine. What comfort is ours when we can rest in the truth of our identity and belonging in God alone.

As You Read the Scriptures:

What is stirring in your heart as you read these passages?

Prayer:

Lord, I thank you that my family is known by you. Thank you that you have always been with me even when I didn’t know you yet. Thank you for loving me from before time began. I rest in your love for me.