| 2 Corinthians 4:16 – “ For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day.” |
How do you tell the story of your life?
If you have tried your hand at autobiography, you know it is harder than it seems.
We can write memories and snippets.
But the real crux of a person’s story is what made you, you.
How should you tell your story?
Joseph Campbell set the standard for movies, novels, and modern dramas. His book, The Hero’s Journey, is the guide for screenwriters and dramatists.
In it, he describes what has become a predictable story arc. The hero starts well, but then encounters challenges. An enemy blocks the way and must be conquered. Through the struggle, he emerges the victor.
J. R. R. Tolkien who gave birth to The Lord of the Ring calls it “eucatastrophe” (a joyful catastrophe). For Tolkien, one eucatastrophe stands out.
It is a story that echoes through the human experience. No other story is like it. But unlike fantasy and fiction, it is true.
For Jesus, his life was not defined by dying but by resurrection.
For us, we need to stop and consider how the eucatastrophe shapes us, not the catastrophe.
He tells the Corinthians in 2 Cor 4 of all the struggles of his life. And his are worse than ours
Shipwrecks, beatings, stonings.
But that does define us. He reminds us, we should not lose heart which means to bring the bad out of something.
Instead, he says “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16, RSV)
With faith and hope, we shed the skin of hurt and pain and let it point to a better day, a new person with a new life.
Or as Tolkien would say “it is our eucatastrophe”–the joyful catastrophe.
Before you suffer too much from reversal, think about how it could be a joyful catastrophe for your spirit.
-Robert Taylor
