Stories (Part 3)

John 20:22 "And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost

When you're still working through a painful story from the past, it’s easy to feel like you’re going through it alone. You've been made to think like no one else could possibly understand how we feel.  In a way, we subconsciously place ourselves at the center of the story, and see everything that happened exclusively from the viewpoint of how it affects us personally, without regard for anyone else.  Yet, as we grow through our pain and gradually broaden our horizons, we begin to see that our self-centered thinking is only fueling our misery and we realize that shifting our focus onto others'
needs for a while can help.

It’s one of life’s great paradoxes-when we serve others, we end up benefiting as much if not more than those we serve.  So whenever you feel pain from those past stories trying to suck you back in, shift your focus from your circumstances to the circumstances of those near and far.

Breathe in whatever painful feeling you’re feeling, and breathe out relief from that pain for everyone in the world who is suffering alongside you.

-If you’re feeling grief, breathe in all the grief of the world then breathe out peace.

-If you’re feeling anger, breathe in all the anger of the world then breathe out forgiveness.

-If you’re feeling regretful, breathe in all the regret of the world then breathe out gratitude for the good times.

Do this for a minute or two as often as you need to, imagining all the pain of those near and far coming in with each breath, and then a feeling of compassion and reconciliation radiating out to all of those who are in pain as you breathe out.  Instead of running from your past stories and the pain they caused you, you’re embracing it, and you’re thinking of others as well, which gets you out of that miserable, self-centered mindset trap that past stories can bring.

Remember, Jesus is the author and finisher of your faith!