Timothy Keller begins Chapter 9 (“A New Story for Work”) of Every Good Endeavor by observing that people need to attach a story line to an event in order for that event to make sense. In other words, that event needs to be placed into some kind of narrative structure. For example, we need to place the recent bombing attack at the Boston Marathon into a contextual structure in order to understand and respond to what happened.
We all have a story based on our ministry downsizing or career loss. As Pastor Keller notes, that story has a specific structure:
“A story begins when something knocks life off balance. Then the story progresses, or the plot ‘thickens’ as the protagonists struggle to restore that balance and peace while antagonistic forces block and resist them. Finally, the story ends as the struggle results in either the restoration of balance or the failure to recover it.”
In order to experience healing and revitalization/revisioning of our calling, it is critical that we get our story right by restoring and strengthening our faith with the truth of God’s Word- so that unforgiveness, bitterness, and resentment have no place to remain in residence in our hearts.
How has the story of your downsizing or position loss changed over time as you rely more and more on God’s promises to help you restore balance and peace? Please share your story in the comments section below.
Tomorrow’s blog: “The Biblical worldview”