Hello, dear one!
Have you met people who are always telling the same “sad stories”? These stories could be anything, disappointments from childhood, career stagnation, or mental stress.
And when you try to help them, they decline your help and continue with the same old stories.
I learned a secret from this Bible story years ago. If I wanted to make a change, I needed to have the GRIT to change my story.
To run from King Saul’s prosecution, David and his men hid in the wildness.
For years, his troop was close to a field that belonged to a wealthy man, Abel. The soldiers kindly took care of his flocks and never asked anything in return.
Around harvest time, David respectfully asked Abel if he would consider sharing some food with David’s troop.
The name Abel means stupid, and Abel lived his name to the fullest. He insulted David by asking, “Who the hell are you?”
In a rage, David called on all his soldiers and decided to wipe out Abel’s entire tribe.
When Abel’s beautiful wife Abigail heard this, she immediately sent the best food and drinks to David and his men.
She rode a donkey and met David in person. She apologized for Abel’s ignorance and begged David to spare the lives of all innocent people in the house.
David was so impressed by her wisdom and courage, that he accepted her request.
But, here is the twist to the story.
Abigail didn’t stop there after she escaped David’s sword. She saw herself in a new story with the right husband and a better ending.
She took a risk and surprised David, “Will you remember me?”
David did!
After he won all the battles, he remembered Abigail, came back and married her.
Suddenly, Abigail changed her season of life, from marrying an idiot Abel to marrying a God-loving king.
Not only did Abigail transform her life, but also all her servants benefitted from a better living.
If Abigail accepted her old story, feeling sorry for marrying the wrong husband and telling the same sad story of how unfair her life was, she would end her life there.
Instead, Abigail banked on herself and audaciously asked David for a possible new story.
Whenever I think of self-leadership, I refer back to this story. No matter where I am today, I always have the power to get out of my current situation and move into a better one.
This story has inspired me so much that I changed my story with a health condition.
When I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, my doctor prescribed daily prescription meds.
Suddenly, I had flashes of pictures of my future life:
I’m freaked out because I forgot to take the prescription pills today. I’m on the phone begging my doctor’s office to call in pharmacy for refills. I’m counting my pills in the pillboxes the night before my dream vacation.
That was my mother’s story for 30+ years.
I refused to tell the same story for my life, for I wanted to live a prescription-free life.
I contacted medical professionals who supported reversing diabetes and made changes in lifestyle, and I reversed my diagnosis in a few months.
It’s been over seven years since my diagnosis, and because I told myself a new story, I’m healthy and prescription-free today.
Misery finds its company.
Have you noticed that the people who keep telling old stories also find the audience who hang on to their stories?
If you have the grit to start a new story, get ready for some hard work.
And in the process, you may lose some family and friends who are more comfortable with your old story.
When you’re ready, that’s when you hear God saying, “Behold, I’m doing a new thing for you. Let it spring forward. Do you not see? (Isaiah 43:19).”