This Is My Story...

“Pick up your hymnal and turn to page 334. Join me in singing, ‘Blessed Assurance!’”

My soul gets happier whenever a song leader says this in a worship service. At least to me, when it comes to holding a songbook in my hand, I can’t help but feel nostalgic. In today’s world, loud drums, smoke, and lights are the center of worship. It’s nice to tune down the drums and hear the resounding sound of a congregation’s voice with a piano accompaniment.

This past weekend, my husband and I pulled into a sweet little country church we’ve been visiting. Sure enough, when the time for the song service came, we pulled the hymnals off of the back rack of the pew and turned to page 334 in the Baptist Hymnal.

Franny Crosby’s 1873 words stared me directly in the face. I couldn’t help but smile. Certainly, Crosby’s song has become a staple in Christian music. But all of my years singing the diddly, I don’t know if I ever really comprehended its depth.

The first verse says:

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

According to Merriam-Webster, “assurance” means “the state of being assured, being certain in the mind, confidence of mind or manner, or security.” Talk about encouraging! Those first five words sum up life for the believer. We have been given a blessed hope, security, and promise that after we put our faith and trust in Him, He is ours. Nothing can ever pluck us from His hand (John 10:28).

But as we made our way to the chorus, I started getting squirmy in my seat.

This is my story, this is my song,

praising my Savior all the day long.

This is my story, this is my song,

praising my Savior all the day long.

There is usually such jubilation when we get to this point in the song. When Crosby wrote, “This is my story,” she referenced how joyous it is to serve our Savior. But as I read those words this time, I couldn’t help but think about my life story.

And that story has ups, downs, and everything in between. Satan wouldn’t let me overcome it.

• You screwed up. That is your story.
• You made a lot of mistakes. That is your story.
• You burned a lot of bridges. That is your story.
• You’re not worthy enough. That is your story.
• You’re not capable. That is your story.

Like you, my story isn’t perfect. Every time the devil has a chance to remind me of the life I’ve lived, he makes sure to highlight my worst parts. Before I know it, instead of praising my Savior “all the day long,” I’m dwelling on the things I can’t undo!

That, my friend, is how the enemy gets us.

In C.S. Lewis’s famed book, The Screwtape Letters, Lewis presents fictional letters written between demons and devils. In one line, Screwtape the devil says, “It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.”

When we listen to Satan’s lies, we stop thinking about God’s truth. If we’re so busy worrying over the past, how can we focus on His divine plan for our future? Simply put, we can’t. However, if we stopped and shifted our ears to heaven, we would hear a different song.

• You messed up, but I forgive you. That is your story.  
• You are in this season for a reason. That is your story.
• You are designed to serve Me in unique ways. That is your story.
• You are loved by Me. That is your story.
• You are more than a conqueror. That is your story.

As Christ followers, we do have blessed assurance. Thanks to His grace, our stories are far from over. So, let’s praise our Savior all the day long!