Yes, the story our mind writes. Have you ever noticed how quickly your mind creates a story about what just happened? You send a text and don’t get a reply. Your mind says, “They must be upset with me.” Or, you stumble through a presentation. And your mind says, “That didn’t go very well.” And then someone walks past you without saying hello. Your mind says, “They’re avoiding me.” Yes, it’s the story in your head.
Most of us don’t realize how quickly our minds create narratives about events. And once that story is written, we often believe it as if it were the truth.
I love the author Ted Dekker. He talks about this idea in his book Eyes Wide Open. He explains that people often live reacting to the story running in their head instead of observing reality as it actually is. See my post on The R-Factor.
Our minds are incredibly good at filling in the blanks.
But the real question is this: do we trust our experiences and circumstances more than the truth of God’s Word?
The problem is, those blanks are often filled with assumptions, from our experiences and circumstances, rather than based on truth – God’s truth.
Scripture reminds us to pause before accepting every thought that comes our way.
2 Corinthians 10:5
We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Living with eyes wide open means learning to recognize the difference between what actually happened and the story our mind immediately writes about it. Do Not React – this is where most of us get into trouble.
When the Past Programs Our Perspective
Many of the stories we believe about ourselves didn’t start yesterday.
They were formed years ago.
Past disappointments.
Things someone said to us.
Moments when we felt like we failed.
Over time, those experiences begin to shape how we interpret the world around us. Without realizing it, our past starts programming our expectations, our own truth, and reality.
A small setback today can trigger a much larger conclusion because it taps into a story we’ve been carrying for years.
Maybe somewhere along the way, you started believing:
I’m not good enough.
I always mess things up.
People probably don’t value what I have to say.
And without a doubt, we have been programmed into who we believe God is, or isn’t.
But those conclusions are not always true. They are interpretations of past experiences.
I remember when, at the age of 27, my pastor challenged me to “test the waters” of being a pastor. I took on a part-time Pastor position at a small, family-oriented country church. The problem was that the former pastor, there for many years, was a “fire and brimstone” pastor who taught the people to be afraid of God, and if you stepped out of line, you were going to hell.
It took a while for me to show the people at this small church that God was indeed a God of love, and what that meant from the actual word of God.
And the danger is that when we believe those stories long enough, they begin to shape how we see ourselves and what we think we are, or are not, capable of.
Scripture reminds us that transformation begins when our thinking is renewed.
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
God invites us to replace the stories written by our past with the truth He speaks over our lives.
God’s Truth Is Greater Than Our Narrative
Our minds can be powerful storytellers, but they are not the source of truth. God is.
Where our mind sees failure, God often sees growth.
Where our mind sees weakness, God often sees an opportunity for His strength to be revealed.
And where our mind has set up walls, God shows us freedom through His word.
What feels like a setback to us may simply be part of the shaping process God is using to grow us.
Scripture reminds us that God’s work in our lives is not dependent on our perfection.
2 Corinthians 12:9
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
That means the moments we think we “blew it” may actually be moments where God’s grace is most clearly at work.
God’s truth is not defined by our past mistakes.
His truth is rooted in His grace, His promises, and His purpose for our lives.
The story in your head may focus on your shortcomings. And these stories will, in many cases, put limits on God, or put God in a box.
But God’s story focuses on redemption, growth, and transformation.
Choosing Truth Over the Story
Living with eyes wide open means learning to pause when our mind starts running ahead of us.
When a thought tells you that you failed, pause and ask:
Is that actually what God says about me?
Because your past may have programmed your perspective, but it does not define God’s truth.
God’s truth says you are loved.
God’s truth says you are redeemed.
And God’s truth says your story is still being written.
The next time your mind begins replaying a moment you wish had gone differently, take a step back and remember this:
The story in your head is not always the final word.
God’s truth is.
John 8:32
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
The Truth, by Megan Woods
Reflection Question
What story about yourself have you been believing that God never actually said about you?
Challenge of the Week
The next time a negative thought about yourself shows up, pause and ask: Is this my story… or is this God’s truth? Then choose to believe the truth. Because the most important story about your life is not the one your mind creates. It’s the one God has, and still is, writing.
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