Recently I started reading the New Testament again. My friend Ron Frost recommends reading the Bible all the way through, then reading it again, and then again, until you die. So I am taking his advice. And I’m enjoying it. I didn’t start in Genesis this time, I started in Matthew, and so read the account of the Birth of Christ.
Each time I read the Bible I’m taken aback by how much we dilute the power of its stories with sentimentalism. The story of Noah and his Ark has been reduced to a Children’s story (a God-orchestrated massacre of all humanity) and the story of the Birth of Christ into a regal pageant complete with gifts and robed choirs of angels (A poor virgin and her new husband delivering a baby in a manger of a stable. Followed by an angry king slaughtering all children under two years old to try to kill off the Messiah.)
What I like about the Bible is it doesn’t clean up history. It isn’t a clean book, and God does not always look good (from our finite perspective) and yet it doesn’t hide or sell or bait and switch, it just tells the truth.
One of the problems with sentimentalizing the text is that we begin to sentimentalize our actual lives. We begin to think the Christian life should be free of hardship. We think God is going to navigate us around the hard things. But there is really nothing in scripture that should lead us to believe this. What God offers, instead, is to be with us, to not abandon us, even in the midst of our hardship.
Laying in bed this morning I was thinking about a difficult thing I have to do. It’s nothing compared to some of the stuff you might be dealing with, just a big job I have to complete. I remembered the scripture from Philippians 4: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” I’ve said that verse to myself a thousand times, I am sure. But laying there, I realized something the verse didn’t say. It didn’t say “I can do all things through Christ who makes it easy.”
This paradigm shift is important because if we think God is going to take away our troubles, we assume there is something wrong with us if He doesn’t. We assume we did something bad, or that God doesn’t like us, or perhaps even God Himself isn’t good. To be sure, some of the hardships in our lives happen because we made bad decisions, but even in this we are given the grace of a God who is willing to discipline us in love and restore us. A careful understanding of Biblical stories reveals every hero goes through difficult trouble. Nobody is spared.
In an age where we are taught through commercialism there should be no struggles in life that the purchasing of a product won’t relieve, the Bible is incompatible. But the age of commercialism has let us down. Many have found their stuff has made life more meaningless. What we’ve forgotten is that every great story has to involve a difficult ambition, and must then travel through the land of conflict. The best stories have their protagonist wondering if they are going to make it. What scripture teaches us, then, is that God will be with us in that place, and will give us the strength to endure a hard thing.
Here’s to the courage to face conflict, the bonding benefit of hardships, and to living better stories.
Isn’t this the truth. This post reminds me of something that you wrote in Blue Like Jazz about how if the devil can sink our minds and hearts into habit, he can prevent our hearts from engaging God. We so often read the Bible and because its stories are either so familiar or, as you said, deluded with sentimentalism, we fail to grasp the significance and the reality of God’s word. It isn’t easy and it isn’t a book of fairy tales. Life involves struggle. Its how God makes us who we need to be.
i needed this today.
life has been unbearably hard lately, and i need to stop hoping it’ll get easier and start trusting that He’ll give me the strength i need to push through it.
Thanks for sharing this.
It’s funny how easily we forget certain truths when we are embattled, dealing with pain, difficult people, etc. Just last night I was asking, “God, why can’t you make this better?”
Today, I’m asking for strength and wondering what my “great story” is.
Always an encouragement. Thanks for this.
Yup. So true.
95% ( i just made that up) of the times I can specifically say that I’ve been drawn closer to Christ and craved Him, it has been through hardship…I’m sure I’m not alone.
…and it’s always a much better story…and usually pretty funny—fired on my 30th birthday for hitting someone (no, i didn’t really do it), gave my deceased dad CPR when I was completely naked (sounds sick, but its funny to think of the looks on those firemen’s faces), temporarily displaced by a hurricane and live with a friend whose mother took to breaking out in Tom Petty’s “Refugee” every time I came around (Laura Waters Hinson @asweforgive, always shamelessly promoting friends)….all of these things sucked at the time, are funny to me now and, gosh, made me fall in love with Christ over and over again.
One of my favorite parts of Forrest Gump is when Capt. Dan sits ontop of the mast of the boat during a hurricane, challenging God…
I was just talking with a friend about that idea of God allowing the messy stuff in history into Scripture. Her non-Christian teacher was questioning her about Judges 19 and it’s reason for being in the Bible. The story is graphic and sickening, but the lesson behind it is that God is sovereign and if we don’t submit to His rule & authority humans can create a pretty ugly world.
I really liked how you said it’s about God strengthening us, not making it easy. That’s something I struggle to remember.
Thanks for sharing this…I also needed to hear it.
I’ve been reading through the Bible again as well, trying to read it with fresh eyes. I started in Genesis, and I’m reading it the way I would read any book (looking for themes and connections, writing in the margins, enjoying the story & characters) instead of making it about information and a list of rules.
I’m struck by how often it’s noted that God hears and responds to those who cry out to him. His responses aren’t usually what was expected, but it’s clear that He cares for the oppressed in all kinds of circumstances.
Here. Here.
Great post. I need this reminder today. Actually I need this reminder every day.
As I read this it reminded me of how I think hardship is often attributed to the devil rather than to the strengthening program from God. We often put ourselves up against the the devil when what we are really facing is a conflict in our story. Not that the devil can’t be contributing to the conflict in our story, but he is not always the conflict in our story.
This is something I have been trying to deny for a couple of weeks, but God keeps reminding me through the most interesting sources, that I just need to toughen up. I want to quit my job…run away from it really. I find myself praying everyday that God will go easy on me and make me comfortable within tough situations at work…but hard things still occur, and he keeps closing doors, reminding me His will is not my will and apparently I can handle the position I’m in. So, thanks for the reminder to pray for strength and not for escape routes.
This is very timely for me. Thank you for writing it.
Amen!
Thanks for writing this, Don. I think one thing that hinders us from seeing the whole story is how we look at the Bible as a collection of verses rather than a series of books. We memorize promises and ignore the judgments. We quote verses about God’s love and skip the ones about God’s wrath. It’s hard to understand the story from bullet points.
I have been struggling with the conflict idea since I read a Million Miles. I was so conditioned to think that if life was hard or there were obstacles that meant God was trying to tell me something, like turn around or you are wrong etc. But, I have noticed that the areas of conflict are generally areas that God wants me to learn my lesson. I left a pretty cushiony job in november. It hasn’t been easy but I have to learn my financial security isn’t in a job or even in myself. Mainly, I have noticed that I tend to rely more on myself than on God. We have to allow God’s strength to strengthen us. Which I believe requires surrendering whatever it is to Him. Admitting we can’t do it on our own.
Relating to your blog yesterday about self-righteousness, it ties in. If you are surrendered to God strengthening you and working through you then you can’t take credit for it. It is only by Him that you can do anything.
I’m 1/3 through the book…it was recommended to me by a friend who knew it would be up my alley. I lead a community that inspires people to discover their calling…and engage in it full time by making it their work. Being self-employed. I’ve just become friends with Gary Barkalow of http://www.thenobleheart.com and we are partnering to a degree, as his focus is calling. Mine is that people work full time in their calling.
But your take on ‘story’ and your quote on page 59 about folks not wanting to take “responsibility inherent in the acknowledgment of the brilliance of their lives…”
Such a great feeder into my tagline that says self-employment is not a luxury…but a responsibility.
Seth Godin’s new book ‘Linchpin’ is also speaking to this…so timely message from you. Thanks for being willing to share it.
This is incredible fodder for me to take to the audience that has given me permission to speak into their lives.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I needed that! And it’s “dilute,” not “delude” (first sentence, second paragraph).
I am toasting with you- to courage and Truth and the unfolding of our stories! GLORY>
Krista!
Thanks so much. You know, I have been spelling that wrong for years. Wow. Thanks for the spelling lesson. You’re better than Microsoft word!
Don
Ron Frost is great – I went to school w/ his nephew.
I love the idea that the Bible doesn’t clean up history. It’s raw reality, takes the good w/ the bad, and doesn’t sugar coat the truth.
And yet it’s amazing that we still manage to cloud it’s message with our flawed perspective because we view any hardship as a result of us or God being “bad”.
Thank you.
I’ve been researching the infancy narratives in the Gospel for a project– and then I caught your talk last year- and I think I got a lot of clarity.
I came to realize that Christmas stopped making sense to me for exactly what you are talking about: I took the conflict out of it. If you read the Revelation 12 version of the Christmas story you can’t miss the tension.
And then I realized I was a lot like George Bailey in Its a Wonderful Life because I was hating and not embracing my own conflict.
All this is to say thanks for making me think about those Bible words “perseverance” and “endurance” with new eyes. It’s been good, and corrective, and freeing.
(I think the reason we evangelicals talk so much about “spiritual warfare” is that we don’t want to admit that life is just hard. We’ve got our exceptions in a goofy place. )
Wait, so the Bible doesn’t say: “I can do all things through Christ who makes it easy.”?! Hmmm, I may need to rethink this whole thing…
I mean, great post! Very thought provoking!
Very fitting for me right now, and I suppose it will always be fitting, this side of heaven.
It’s good to be reminded of these things often. Thanks.
Great post. I recently thought to myself that everybody in life wants to be a hero, but nobody wants to get to the point in their journey when they face their greatest fears. Drama makes for great reading but anxious living.
Actually it does say in the Bible that the ‘rain shall fall on the just and the unjust.’ I believe that helps what you are saying. The website is http://www.j30ad.org
Blessings, Janet
Haha. Great timing. I just posted a blog about being impacted by hearing you talk about the Bible.
Good stuff, thanks for sharing this truth!
Anything else meaningful I had to share about this has already been stated. I am just left wondering about the species of mini-elephants that fit in the palm of your hand.
I am yet one more person needing to hear this. Having suffered greatly from bipolar depression, I’ve often longed for an easy way out. Many times during my twenties I made attempts on my life, often ending up in the hospital, but never actually dying (obviously). Now I’m in a better state of mind and can think more clearly. I just turned 30 about a week ago and celebrated that day knowing that it almost never happened. And yet, I know there are more battles ahead, I just need to cling to Christ.
first, love the post Ann … That made me laugh!!
For a girl who not only believes but knows by experience that faith is born and grown in the desert, this post and subsequent read was ever so timely. Was getting overwhelmed by some tough situations so this was a great perspective changer.
I too am reading through the Bible this year…day 182 and I just finished the Psalms and I loved how it ended. After 150 chapters of every single human emotion and trial…it says, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.”
As one walks with Him, His goodness in all circumstances is overwhelming! Praise the Lord that He honestly does strengthen you. No stories or fantasies or wishful thoughts, but truth…He walks us through the fires.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…You are with me.
The Israelites had a long walk in the desert before they reached the promised land.
Even Elijah wanted to die because he was so exhausted and discouraged…God has him to rest and eat but then called him to walk to the mountain to meet God.
Life is full of long journeys with God and very few quick fixes. God and time and patience all seem to continuously go together.
Used my phone to type this and can’t reread or edit…sorry! Computer isn’t working but wanted to post.
this is amazing. great post.
I think one of the biggest problems we have when we read the Bible is that we look at it in a linear way. One event follows another which follows another…and on and on. But, the Bible isn’t linear–it takes place on two separate planes. The first encompasses all that happened from the Creation until Christ–everything that was written through those years came through the veil of unbelief. There was a definite glass ceiling that prohibited God’s people from attaining the truth of who God is. Christ’s walk on the earth was a time of transition, and His death and resurrection lifted the human race to a new plane. The veil was destroyed, so the ability to attain truth was established.
God has not and will not wave a magic wand to make our problems disappear. What He will do is meet us where we are at and enable us to overcome our hardships. Nothing the world throws at us can separate us from what Christ did on the cross–we need to continue acting on that truth.
The New Testament church raised the flag of God’s absolute love in our world. Let’s finish up the work they began and take back all that was stolen from us through what Christ accomplished on his cross.
I almost doubled over in laughter at this title, Don. I have been so diligent and working so hard at this new phase and story in my life. Yet today all heck seemed to break loose and I did the mature thing and dissolved into a sticky puddle of all things negative…thoughts, feelings, you know…and I whined “Why?! Why?! It’s all been so good!”
Then I read the title of this post and laughed out loud and said, “Oh. Yeah. ” Thanks for helping me remember!
I really love what you have to say here. Also, I’m curious how things go when you do start reading in Genesis. I’ve been having some faith issues lately, so I started in Genesis and now I’m in 2 Kings. I think my issues are worse than when I started.
P.S. I just have to tell you that I’m pretty much in love with you and I think we should hang out. I saw you speak in Naperville a few months ago, and we made eye contact and had a moment. Although I guess you probably had moments with most people in that room because, you know, you’re a good speaker. Anyway, I’m looking forward to hearing you speak at Willow Creek this Saturday.
You’re welcome! : )
Reminds me of the story of Paul and Agabus from Acts! It seems sometimes we are called to walk directly into hard things. Paul goes to Jerusalem knowing he will get arrested. I appreciate this post and everything you write!
Good words, Don. I was at the beach today on my lunch watching some man fly a kite thinking about what life is about–the upturns and the downturns and how we expect to find our identity only in the upturns. The reality is that our life is the rollercoaster of the whole flying event. Even in the down-times, God is with us. And he promises no less. No less bad times. No less God-presence. As always, good blog, man.
Great post, excellent reminder to toughen up, get real and suck it up. We have all to some degree been blinded by the Prosperity Gospel. That God will make us sexy, wealthy and wise! The Bible is really grounded in real life: pain, suffering, defeat, lose and failure. To follow Christ meant literally losing your own life. 11 out of the 12 disciples of Jesus suffered martyrdom. Candy Christianity is a lie and should be exposed. well done for getting real. Thank you
Don.. totally inspiring. Just finished A Million Miles… it is the most inspirational book I’ve read in years. I’m a story-teller, a ghost-writer by profession, everything you said struck a chord. I got married in the Summer and me and the and wife sat down this week to talk about what stories we wanted to tell with our lives. I started a marriage blog.. inspired by you and Mr Jeff Bridges. I want to paint to a more positive picture of marriage, warts and all. http://www.marriageisforlosers.com
Big love,
Davey
[...] New Expression of Worship” from Tyler Braun. Stoked to be introduced to new band. Love it. “Every Good Story Must Endure Conflict” from Donald Miller. Miller is big on the fact that everyone has a “story” to tell. He [...]
I’m like Clara, where I’ve struggled to survive the conflict of mental illness, in this case my diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder. I’ve taken the principles in your writings and have begun to create a different framework around my life.
I was recently invited to give a talk at Columbia University (http://bit.ly/atRwMp); I shared my “living story” and the hope of leading remarkable lives, mental illness and all. And so I’ve created the beginning chapters to my story. Thanks for inviting all of us to participate in it!
Oh and if you watch the video, the teacher I talked who helped me when I was at the young, ripe age of 15? I gave him your Million Miles book this past Christmas, for helping me figure out my living story. Thank you.
Dude, it is like you read my mind. Thanks so much for this. Today has sucked.
You know, one of those days where you don’t feel like being a Christian.
Davey,
you give me hope. I was beginning to think that what my parents had doesn’t exist anymore in our generation.
Here’s to the idea that there are more men out there that love the Lord and are crazy about their wives and marriage.
With sincere gratitude from a cynic and a woman who begs God each night to not let her become bitter.
Shelly
A lot of wisdom here, and this topic is a hard one. Does God want us happy and healthy all the time, or are the “tortures” as Lewis called them necessary? I find it to be very liberating to trust God even when I don’t understand him — the C.S. Lewis Institute published my article about trusting God in the valley of grief last year: http://tinyurl.com/ycl3tuk.
Thanks for tackling this with such grace and conviction. I, for one, can always use the reminder.
[...] Donald Miller, Every Good Story Must Endure Conflict. In this post Miller reflects on difficulty and conflict in life encouraging his readers to face [...]
[...] Endure Conflict” 2010 March 9 tags: Inspiration by belleinthebigcity I recently read this. I wish I could remember where I first found it, but I think it was from [...]
First of all, I just want to say that I enjoyed hearing you speak and meeting you at Southland Christian Church yesterday. I’m re-reading A Million Miles, this time taking notes! I used to write a lot – short stories, random thoughts, things like that, but I haven’t done it in a very long time, not sure why. Anyway, I have so many thoughts and feelings going through me after reading this book that the only way for me to work through it all is to write. I feel challenged, motivated, liberated, convicted and, well, happy! I guess I feel relived to know I have a blank page.
In regards to this post, I think we always need this reminder. God never said life would be easy, He just said He’d always be there riding out the storms of life with us. This is what is so hard to explain to non-Christians. I, for one, find it comforting to know that God is who He says He is and always will be. Thanks again!
Leslie
[...] earth because of the depth of man’s sin! As Donald Miller points out in this post about the dangers of sentimentalizing Scripture, this type of simplified view of God and His ways often leads to later misunderstanding about why a [...]
[...] you authentically, perfectly, wonderfully. I loved this post from Don Miller – “Every Good Story Must Endure Conflict.” I want to give a hearty “amen!” to his reflections on the damage done by [...]
I just finished enjoying a portion of your story in A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, and just loved the afterword. It reminded me of why Malachi 3:16 is my favorite scripture. “Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.” I love living my life in such a way that scrolls are being written and hope that someday, I will get to read through those scrolls with Him.
[...] Don Miller on why every good story must endure conflict. [...]
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/opinion/02dowd.html
This op-ed on Obama’s presidential story reminded me of a Million miles. I thought it fit this blog post as well. He is enduring conflict, that is for sure. We shall see what type of story he writes with it!