All these years later, I’m sticking to HIStory

Did you ever tell a story about yourself and say, “That’s my story and I am sticking to it”? I have said that more than once in my life.

Then, after years of drinking, my story almost led me to the end of a .357. A friend came to me and said that I needed Jesus in my life. That sounded a little better than a .357, so I started going to church. I bought a Bible and started getting into HIStory. After 30 years of being IN HIStory, let me say, as Paul Harvey used to say, let me tell the rest of the story.

Too many Christians are too concerned with getting God into their story. “Lord, get into my story, and do this and do that.”

Do you know what the Lord really wants? He wants us to get into HIStory. Before I go any further, I need to clarify, when I refer to HIStory, I am referring to His word. The Bible IS HIStory, his autobiography, written in 66 books by 40 authors. As Christians, the first thing we will realize when we get into HIStory, is that we would never have our story without HIStory. God is calling us to come into HIStory. Matthew 11:28: “Come unto to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness ...”

James 4:8: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Jeremiah 29:13: “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

For 30 years, this writer has been doing just that. I have discovered, in a huge way, that HIStory is life-changing. HIStory is powerful. The more I let HIStory trump, become the decisive overriding factor in my story, the more blessed my story becomes. HIStory is literally transforming my life. Romans 12:2: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind ...” HIStory is renewing my mind and transforming me into his image.

I am discovering that my story is so insignificant, and temporary. You may be saying, your story is your testimony. It is important. That is correct. The ONLY reason I have that testimony is because of HIStory. Revelation 12:11: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” I have heard some give their testimony, and go on and on about their story and how much they have overcome, and then at the end give a little thanks to God. Then some listening will say, “Wow, what a mighty man or woman.” People, we need to share more about HIStory than ours. Our stories will save no one. As I said, our stories are temporary. HIStory is eternal.

Revelations 22:13: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” HIStory offers us that eternal life. John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

I promise you, if you let HIStory trump your story, you will get the life promised in John 10:10: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” That life comes by his word. John 6:63: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”

In the future, I do not think I will be saying again, “That’s my story and I am sticking to it.” I will be saying, “That’s HIStory, and I am sticking to it.”

Are you reading this, and your story seems dark and hopeless? Just confess your sin, and ask God for forgiveness, and ask Jesus into your heart. Then get a Bible and get into HIStory, and let HIStory get into your story. What do you have to lose?

Hasselstrom is an evangelist with Cross Tied Ministries.