Who Told You That? Replacing False Narratives with God’s Truth

The Stories We Tell Ourselves

And the invitation to realign with God’s story

We are storied people. Every one of us is shaped—not just by our experiences, but by the meaning we make of them.

The human mind naturally organises life into narrative. We take events, emotions, and relationships, and we string them together to make sense of who we are and how the world works. Yet sometimes, the stories we tell ourselves are distorted. Some are inherited, others are laced with shame. And often, they’re incomplete.

When the Story Is Off-Course

You may never have said it out loud, but you know the script:

• “I’m too broken to be used.”
• “Nothing ever works out for me.”
• “I have to keep it together or I’ll be rejected.”
• “God is disappointed in me.”

These aren’t just passing thoughts. They become internal narratives—interpretive lenses through which we view ourselves, God, others, and our circumstances.

Narrative therapy recognises this and invites people to externalise the problem. The idea is simple but profound: You are not the problem. The problem is the problem. Shame, fear, and destructive patterns are not your identity. They may be part of your experience, but they do not define you.

Furthermore, narrative therapy encourages people to “re-author” their stories—to reclaim agency, name alternative truths, and reimagine a future not defined by past wounds.

As Christians, we go even further. We don’t just want a better version of our story—we want the true one. The one told by the only Author who sees the beginning, middle, and end.

God, the Author of Your Story

Hebrews 12:2 calls Jesus the “author and perfecter of our faith.” That means He’s not just watching your life unfold—He is personally involved in writing it.

And the story He tells about you is different from the one shaped by shame. It’s different from what trauma may have whispered and different from what your failures suggest.

“You are not your past. You are not your pain. You are not even your potential. You are His.”

In Scripture, God consistently reclaims people’s stories. For example:

• Moses went from murderer to deliverer.
• Ruth went from outsider to the lineage of Christ.
• Peter went from denier to pillar of the Church.
• Paul went from persecutor to apostle.

God interrupted each of their internal narratives and rewrote their stories.—“I’m disqualified,” “I’m an outsider,” “I’ve failed too much”—but God interrupted and rewrote those stories with His grace and calling.

God’s Story vs. Our Stories

Let’s be honest: the way we interpret life often drifts away from truth. We see our circumstances through the lens of pain, comparison, or fear. However, God’s narrative is rooted in eternal truth and unwavering love.

Our Story	God’s Story
“I’m a burden.”	“You are My workmanship” (Eph 2:10)
“No one sees me.”	“I see you, I know you” (Psalm 139)
“I’ve failed too many times.”	“My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor 12:9)
“I’m not enough.”	“You are complete in Christ” (Col 2:10)

God never denies the reality of your suffering. But He never defines you by it either. Instead, He speaks truth that restores and reframes your life through His Word.

Re-Storying in the Kingdom

In narrative therapy, re-authoring is about finding new, liberating meaning. But in the Kingdom of God, we’re not just rewriting—we are surrendering. We ask God to reframe our identity and story through the lens of Scripture.

Paul wrote:

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” —Romans 12:2

Renewal doesn’t happen at the surface. God transforms us in deep, spiritual, and often slow ways. We begin by identifying the lies we’ve believed, replacing them with truth, and living as if God’s Word really is the truest thing about us.

Practical Reflection

If you’re ready to engage with the story you’re living, here are some simple but powerful steps:

1. Name the Narrative: What is the story you keep telling yourself about your worth or your future?
2. Identify the Author: Whose voice is shaping that story—God’s, someone else’s, or your own?
3. Open the Scriptures: Let the truth of God interrupt what you assume to be true.
4. Invite God In: Ask Him to expose the falsehoods and begin rewriting your story with His truth.
5. Practice the Truth: Speak it out loud. Write it down. Share it with a trusted person. Repetition builds new patterns.

Closing Thought

The stories we tell ourselves matter. But even more important is the story God is telling about us. His narrative doesn’t erase your past—it redeems it. It doesn’t ignore your struggle—it reframes it with purpose.

Surrender to the truer one.

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” —John 8:32

Being present with a person and or choosing to share a part of our story with a counsellor or coach is what leads to change and deep growth.

If you’re struggling with the stories you tell yourself and want to process them with a trained professional, you can book a Christian counsellor through Abound here.