Devotional by Gerrard Uamai

Stories. Everyone has a unique story. God has a unique plan for each and every one of our lives, mapped out from start to finish. I’m not great at reading—usually when I sit down to read, I fall asleep. But I do like stories. It’s one of the many ways we can relate to each other. You’d be surprised by how many things we feel like God is putting us through, testing us with, or has thrown our way—and we think we’re the only ones going through it. But when we talk to someone about it, it turns out they’ve experienced something similar—maybe in the exact same way or slightly different—but we can relate.

Believe it or not, I’ve always been a pretty quiet person. If you had asked me 10 years ago why I was so quiet, I would have said it was because I was shy and still figuring life out. Now, I feel like I have more of a quiet confidence. Where does it come from? From all the chapters in my story that I’ve walked through—and I’m still here to tell the tale. Some chapters were tougher than others. Some chapters I still have questions about. Some chapters I felt ended too early. But who am I to complain? I’m not the author of my story. And when you know the Author of your story, it becomes a lot easier to navigate the seasons and chapters of life.

Like I said, I’ve enjoyed some chapters of my life more than others, but they all had a common theme: God walking alongside me through all of them. In some chapters, when I’ve strayed away from Him or tried to get through things on my own, I can imagine Him just shaking His head with a smile—because He knows I can’t do it alone—but patiently waiting for me to come back to Him. Since I’ve realized I need Him in every paragraph of every chapter of my life, I’ve experienced that unexplainable peace—the kind that says no matter what each chapter brings, when I surrender to His will and His plan daily, I’ll come out on top.

One of my favorite Bible verses is Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you…” and so on. My mom always encouraged me not to just take a verse and run with it, but to read the full chapter or book to get context. I’m not going to read the full chapter—because I might fall asleep—but here is Jeremiah 29:10–14:

“This is what the Lord says: ‘You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,’ says the Lord. ‘I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.’”

I find peace in this passage because no matter what each of our “Babylons” looks like, this is what the Author of our story has promised us—as long as we seek Him wholeheartedly.

Three pieces of encouragement:

Share your story. You never know who needs to hear it or who is going through something similar. The fact that you woke up today and are able to tell your story means God is not finished with you. When you seek Him wholeheartedly, He will see you through each chapter of your life, and you will experience His plans for good. He will end your captivity and bring you home again.

Most of us have played a sport or have some kind of hobby. I’ll use soccer as an example. The more time I’ve spent practicing, watching soccer, and getting stronger, the better and more confident I’ve become—and when you’re confident, the game comes more naturally. The same goes for our walk with God. The more time we spend getting to know Him, being in His presence, and reading His Word, the easier life becomes. Don’t get me wrong—tough times will come—but we’ll be equipped for them because we know the Author of our story and His promises.

The great thing about stories is that you can always go back and revisit them. One thing that gives me confidence when I feel like a chapter in my life is never going to end—or is really kicking my ass—is looking back at the chapters God has already brought me through. Sometimes, in the middle of a chapter, it’s hard to understand why things are happening. But when that chapter ends, you begin to see why God did what He did.

So share your story. Share God’s goodness in your life. Seek Him wholeheartedly. Spend time with Him. And when you feel down and out, remember all that He has already brought you through.