Everyone loves a good story, and central to a good story is conflict. Few best-sellers focus on the perfect day where everything works out. Romantic comedies end when the couple gets together because happy, stable relationships are fun to be in but boring to watch.
Yet, we can hesitate to share our own stories because they contain conflict or challenges. Our culture demands perfection, and we worry about what people will think. It is even worse at times in the church where it can seem like everyone else is always smiling and their lives are always “blessed.” We hear sermons about struggles, brokenness, and pain, but we are sup- posed to nod sympathetically in support of whomever the pastor is talking about—because it is surely not us.
Psalm 105 summarizes the story of God’s chosen people from the humble beginnings of a wandering family through the dramatic exodus from Egypt. Interestingly, the psalmist does not pull any punches. The history is a difficult one: homelessness, slavery, and abuse. When the people are not paying the price for their own poor choices—like selling a brother into slavery—the challenges often result from not being big and strong enough to stand up for themselves.
Many would deem this story embarrassing, but those who comprised the canon essentially put it in their greatest hits! They not only retell but celebrate the story. Why? Because in spite of their failures, the God who promised to look out for them kept that promise. Because even when a great and over- whelming challenge faced them, it was never too great for God.
The stories from our past that make us the most uncomfort- able may actually be our best source of hope for the future.