What’s Your Story?

Gò0dNews for Everyone

What’s Your Story?

by Joy Elisabeth Brown

“What’s your story?” is a loaded question that I love to ask because my first step toward hope and healing was a result of being asked that question.

It was the beginning of my second semester of 11th grade when my uncle died suddenly. He was young, had two kids, and was a vital part of our family. With his death, I came face to face with a kind of grief that neither I nor my family had experienced. While his death was not the cause of what I am about to share with you, it was where my battle with anxiety, depression, and suicide was born.

In the weeks to come after his passing, my grief quickly turned inward. Grief turned to worthlessness. Believing that I was worthless led to thoughts of purposelessness. Before I realized it, purposelessness led to hopelessness.

Thoughts flooded my head. Thoughts I knew shouldn’t belong; I shouldn’t believe the lies. Yet, the lies soon became my perceived reality. I believed that people would be better off without me. I believed that I brought no value to life, so the only solution was to end it. But then someone asked me the question, “What’s your story?”

And I told them.

I confessed my grief, my pain, my struggle with life, and the reason for living. In that flash of raw vulnerability, I experienced a moment of relief as my silence had been broken. I was heard, and in being heard, I had invited in the possibility of hope.

The next few months consisted of speaking my thoughts out loud and realizing that God is greater than my struggle. He knows and understands my thoughts, and He still loves me. This was a life-changing truth for me: I am fully known, fully seen, and fully loved by God.

“O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar” (Psalm 139:1-2, 17).

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

You are not on this journey alone. God knows every struggle you face. He knows every thought that crosses your mind and how that thought affects you. The beautiful reality is that He loves you in the middle of your struggle, just as He loves you on your best days.

It would be nice if God would just take the internal struggles away and replace them with positivity, creativity, and purpose. I have had that thought many times, but sometimes God has a different plan.

He commands us to bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2). Allow others to help you bear your burden by sharing with

them what you are going through. Oftentimes, the first step to healing is being heard.

Whether you are battling thoughts of anxiety, depression, suicide, or negativity, know this: You are fully known, fully seen, and fully loved by God. He wants you to ask for help and step toward hope. Help may be found in counseling, mediation, Scripture, or even rest and exercise. Whatever the case may be, let someone in to help you find the specific help you need.

From someone who has been in the pit of hopelessness and felt the weight of anxiety, I am here to tell you that you are not alone. You are not too far gone. Hope and healing are available to you.

As I was asked, I now ask you…

What’s your story?

About The Author Joy Elisabeth Brown is the author of God is Greater Than: When the Struggle is Great, God is Greater. Her personal battle with depression and anxiety ignited a passion to bring awareness of mental health issues to the church—through her writing, speaking, and mental health resources.