Share Your Story

Everyone loves a good story. It’s just a fact of life!  And movies about heroes embarking on a great journey are timelessly and universally loved.

There is just something so engaging and riveting about an unlikely hero setting out on an unknown path to a seemingly unattainable goal. They will have a dangerous foe to contend with, one that the hero cannot defeat without the support of their company, moments of hopelessness that must be overcome, but in the end the hero’s brave acts will save the day. 

In this day and age it is no wonder that such stories resonate deep within us. Being constantly reminded of the evils and troubles of the world, we crave something that will uplift us and give us hope. These types of stories evoke feelings of triumph, hope that good will indeed overcome evil. They show us that there is strength in goodness and inspire us to be a little more heroic in our lives. 

We are the unlikely hero in our own story, setting down an unknown path as we journey through life. 

Our mission is to live a life that will qualify us to return to live with our Father in Heaven and with our Savior Jesus Christ. A goal that is seemingly unattainable and impossible at times. 

 

There is undeniably a great foe to contend with; Satan, the master of all lies, who is determined that we fail in our quest and who wants us to be “miserable like unto himself (2 Nephi 2:27).” 

Luckily, we have a strong team on our side; family, friends, fellow disciples of Christ, apostles, prophets, and even God the Father and Jesus Christ.

Throughout our life journey we will most certainly have moments of hopelessness. There will be times when it seems like our hearts will break, when it feels like our strength is spent and we simply can’t go on. 

But there is hope!

If we rely on the gospel of Jesus Christ we cannot fail!

When we think of our life as a great story, it is easy to recognize that there will be hardships and moments of doubt along the way. After all, what would our favorite stories be without battles to be fought, despair to overcome, obstacles to conquer and foes to defeat? Our heroes would not learn, improve and better themselves. There would be nothing to celebrate if the way forward were guaranteed.

However, as we go about living our lives we don’t always have this perspective because we are in the thick of it all. The rush and distractions of life can make it difficult to remember that our struggles and hardships are just as much a part of our story as the victories, and just as beloved. Without our failures there would be no triumphs. 

This is all the more true in the era of social media. We all tend to focus on sharing all the wonderful things that happen in our lives. And that’s totally understandable! When something good happens to us or we get that perfect family photo we naturally want to share that with others! 

Too often when scrolling through Instagram or Facebook we get caught up in the “highlight reel” and forget that everyone has struggles and hardships. 

This is especially true if we are in the midst of a personal trial. It can be a bit discouraging and depressing to feel like you are the only one out of your friends and family that is struggling on your journey. As someone who lives with depression, I can attest that when I look at social media on days when I am really having a hard time, it can be so discouraging to see the picture perfect “highlight reel”.  

This idea that we are the only ones who are struggling can cause us to isolate ourselves from others, with only the “thorn in our side” for company. We don’t always isolate ourselves physically - although emotional conditions such as depression can cause isolation in a physical sense - during our challenging times we isolate ourselves emotionally. 

We put on a mask, a facade, we keep a smile on our face and we continue to share the “highlight reel” of our lives on social media. We focus on the good things that are happening in our lives when we talk to our friends and family and we are often too scared, or ashamed to admit our weakness and our silent struggle.

That being said, I have always admired those who are brave enough to be honest and share their real moments, the ones we don’t really want to share. It is scary to uncover the parts of us that are imperfect, or messy, or even a bit broken. It takes great courage and strength to share and be honest about our dark moments and low points. 

It is no secret that life is full of challenges, so why are we so often compelled to hide our trials and struggles from others?

It is because Satan wants us to struggle in silence.

He is cunning. He has been working to create a stigma in society against being open and honest about our shortcomings, our trials and our challenges. 

He wants us to keep our trials buried and hidden away from others because he wants us to miserable like unto himself. He wants to keep us away from the strength we can find in sharing our experiences with others. He wants us to think that God has abandoned us in our afflictions. 

He wants to keep us isolated because we are more vulnerable on our own. 

When we are open and honest with our loved ones and those around us, they are better able to serve us, and when others are honest with us, we can better serve them. Sharing our experiences with others allows us to come together as a community, committed to “bearing one another’s burdens.” 

As we allow others to serve us, and as we serve, we feel the love of those around us. It is so often through the love of others that we feel the love of our Savior Jesus Christ.  

We need to do our part in the fight against the adversary. We need to do our part to help others feel accepted and understood. 

The time has come for us to take off the mask, to uncover the struggles we have kept buried. It is time for us to humble ourselves before the Lord and ask for help. Not just from Him, but from those around us as well.

Being more open and honest with our friends and family does not mean complaining and being negative all the time. Though we do all need a shoulder to cry on and a good venting session every once in a while! But dwelling on negative thoughts will not make your hard days better. 

Being honest and real is also about sharing how you have overcome challenges, how you have felt the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ during your most heartbreaking moments, how your testimony of the gospel and of Christ was strengthened during times of personal weakness. 

Sharing our vulnerable moments, the times when we felt weak, defeated, and heartbroken allows us to connect with others who may be going through similar circumstances. It helps us to feel less alone when we know that there are others who have been through what we are experiencing. 

Sharing how we relied on Christ to overcome challenges, and how we were able to find comfort and joy during trying times gives others hope and the strength to keep going - to fight on another day. 

As we share our stories we will find that there are many who have similar stories and there will be others who’s journeys are very different than ours. Let us show ourselves to be true disciples of Christ and love and be kind to everyone, no matter where their path has taken them, how fast or slow they are traveling, or what road they decide to follow. We are all beloved and cherished sons and daughters of God. I hope that we all will strive to uplift one another and support each other on our unique life journey. 

Even though I am a little scared, I am ready to share my story; the highs, the lows, how I have overcome, and how I am learning to find joy in the journey through the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I know that Heavenly Father knows us and loves us perfectly. He sent his beloved Son to suffer and die for us. I know that the atonement of Jesus Christ is real. I have felt its healing and strengthening power in my life. I know that there is lasting happiness and true joy to be found in the gospel of Jesus Christ, even during our trials. 

Let us have the strength to share our stories and be able to find strength in the stories shared with us!