Are you living a good story?

By Scott Brewer
Senior Pastor, Meadowbrook Church
Redmond, WA

I love the subtitle of Donald Miller’s book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.

If you’re familiar with Miller and his writing then you may know that his earlier work, Blue Like Jazz, a New York Times best seller, was made into a movie. Though professional screenwriters were hired to write for the movie, Miller was also invited to do some co-writing of the movie based on his memoir, A Million Miles in A Thousand Years. The book is a collection of his reflections on writing a movie about his life, thus the subtitle, “what I learned while editing my life.”

What a fascinating idea, getting to edit your life. As it turned out the movie was eventually tagged, “based upon a true story” and therefore much of the writing was creating a more interesting Donald Miller than the real-life Miller. This of course stirs many reflections in me.

Do I have an interesting story/life? If not, why not?

Miller learned that there are several things that make for a good story.

One thing is a central character (you) who wants something and must overcome obstacles to get it.

A second thing is that the character (you) is transformed into a better person because of the experience of overcoming.

A third is that the “something wanted” is a selfless pursuit that adds value to others or to this world.

When Miller understood what makes a good story, he concluded that he was living a bad story. What’s more, Miller looked around and observed that most people are living a bad story.

We don’t know what we want, or what we want is too petty.

Life’s obstacles and conflicts are not transforming us or helping us “become” and in fact, we often spend most of our energy trying to avoid or eliminate the conflict. We are not living so that our lives are making a difference for others.

While pondering such things one day Miller heard a still, small voice in his heart. Lingering in the thought Miller discerned that it was the Author (God) of his story (life). Miller began to get it that stirrings and promptings from God were not about an oppressive Master trying to control his life. Rather, Miller began to see God as the Author who was seeking to write a great story with Miller’s life.

The question became, “Would he cooperate with God’s storyline?”

When Miller said yes to God, his life began to want something, began to take risks and face challenges to get it, and began to be an adventure. Miller started to live so that life was better for others. His story became a good story with potential to be a great story. Continued cooperation with the Author will determine if a great story is written/lived.

Are you living a good story?