There are many fascinating narratives in the world about so many different topics…But there is one narrative that is continually being narrated…
Welcome dear friend, I have a tray of delights ready for our tea time in the garden as we enjoy our beautiful autumn weather here in Australia.
Our tea is an Indian Spice blend, quite different to Chai, this one has little pieces of dried fruit & rose petals, our treat is a freshly baked strawberry & coconut loaf…
The Little Wattle birds are back busy making their nests & squawking their squawk. The sun is shining its warmth upon us & our beautiful Jacaranda is standing majestical, as shared in the Tree of life… …
Now we are seated, enjoying our cuppa, shall we reflect upon what narratives are & just how much influence they have in our lives…
What are Narratives?
Beginning with the following definition & meaning of the word;
- a spoken or written account of connected events ~ a story
- in the form of/or concerned with narration ~ story telling
As a child I was introduced to the wonderful world of reading by my paternal Uncle who was a Senior High School Educator for the Deaf community. I loved reading stories & being transported to their fascinating worlds.
Then my maternal grandfather, when he came to visit, loved to tell my sister & I bedtime stories about a mystical world full of tiny creatures, that I’m sure he invented as he went along. We loved his animation & emphasis on certain phrases in this time.
Throughout the years as a Mama & Grandmama I too have read many stories to my daughter’s & my grandchildren from story books, mysteries, fable & ancient scripts… as shared in Little Miss L.
Writing
And as a writer I continually formulate narratives from the everyday world around me. Many are shared here with you in our times of reflection.
But today I thought we would reflect upon the narrative within. The narrative of the mind & heart that we continually retell ourselves, the one that is in continual motion…
How our internal narrative develops
This internal narrative captivates many thoughts & long held beliefs on life that we quite often are unaware of until they’re challenged. I have recently been challenged on a few of my own…
How do we develop our inner narratives?
We develop our inner narrative through the lense of our family background, childhood experiences, cultural background, core beliefs & moral compass…
Then as we sojourn through life, various circumstances that we experience will either confirm or challenge our inner narrative…
Our inner narrative may not always be true though, we can have false narratives as our inner truths.
Let me personalize this for you…
I was recently challenged with the following questions in a fellowship study (paraphrased);
- How do you see God?
- What is your personal narrative about God’s love for you?
I set about reflecting upon these questions…I have a very loving Dad in this life so to see God as my Heavenly Father in a loving, fair & just God is not a challenge for me.
However, I do realize that this is not the case for everyone, it may be quite challenging if you did not have a loving Dad growing up.
So, my personal narrative of God is that He is a caring, loving, protective provider who loves me & only wants the best for me.
Challenging our inner narrative
Then came the following questions (paraphrased)…
- What was your childhood experience of love?
- Was there an expectation or perception in having to earn that family love through your accomplishments, merit or standard of behavior?
- Does your inner narrative of God have these same perceptions in having to earn His love through what you do for Him?
Hmmm! That stopped me in my tracks! These were very thought provoking & challenging questions…That I need to reflect upon & journal for awhile..
Then this week another question really stood out (paraphrased)…
What is your inner narrative about God’s love for you in your present circumstances?
Hmmm! Very thought provoking…as I have chronic health conditions, one being chronic pain…stay tuned for my reflective answers.
I invite you to join me in reflecting & journaling about your inner narrative using the above questions as a catalyst…dear friend.
What are our inner narratives…are they inner truths or false narratives….
Until next time…
Jennifer
You’re most welcome to join me in The Reading Nook
© 2019 Jennifer M. Ross, teawithjennifer.blog photo © Jennifer, All Rights Reserved.
Very thought provoking post Jennifer! My inner narritive is being seriously challenged by how I am being treated as an employee of The Department of Education and it brings me to a place of deep reflection and my only option is openness to the power of the Universe to guide me in the best use of my short life in the preservation and empowerment of myself and the drive I have to see all those I interact with have the best opportunity to flourish. Le grà, Marie xx
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Hi Marie,
I’m saddened to hear you are not being treated well, that is not okay.
But I am gladdened to read that you are reflecting upon your options & protecting others in your care in the process…♥
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A very thought provoking post indeed Jennifer. I shall go away and give your questions some time to percolate…
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Yes, I am still reflecting too Brigid 😀
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I love this! I definitely want to take some time to journal about these questions. How we live in relation to what we think we believe often is quite surprising. How did you come upon these questions? Soul-searching like this is so helpful to understanding our faith and opens the door to knowing the Lord more and in a deeper way. We also see the lies we believe, and can seek Truth to counteract them. Thanks so much for sharing! Great post!
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Thank you Cheryl, I have paraphrased them from a fellowship study we are doing at the moment. 😀
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Sounds like an amazing study!!
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Very thought provoking that’s for sure !
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Thought provoking questions about our inner narrative. I have a loving earthly father, so accepting the love of my Heavenly Father has not been difficult. My hubby had the opposite of an earthly father. I will be looking forward to your answers, Jennifer.
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Thank you Pam, they are very thought provoking aren’t they…
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I was just reading some research on our thinking process–and the way our brains change according to our thinking habits. They called it neuroplasticity, and the good narratives were labeled a “growth mindset.” I really like that!
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Yes, Neuroplasticity research & practice has come from observing those with Acquired Brain Injuries & how their neurological circuitry rerouted itself. Which it continually does on many things…
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These are some very thought-provoking questions Jennifer. As you said, our experiences, past and present, have a lot to do with shaping our narratives and can often distort our perceptions…. I think I’ll take some time to reflect on these questions also. Blessings to you!
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Yes, I agree Terri 😀
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Very thought provoking! I used to have a jacaranda! They are so pretty🌸 Wishing you a lovely weekend.
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Hi Mishka, thank you , they are breathtakingly beautiful in flower…hoping you’re having a better day today 😀
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I think it is only when we recognize the stories we hold as these inner narratives that they have a chance to change through God’s active grace. Otherwise they keep us captive if they are toxic ones.
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Yes, I agree Elizabeth, God’s grace is the catalyst for change…
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Wow! definitely thought provoking questions 🙂 Are my inner narratives true about God? I will be taking stock of these questions
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Hi Brenda, they are poignant aren’t they, definitely food for reflection.
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Amen 🙏🏽
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Dear Jennifer,
I started a new e-course recently that is also asking me to allow God to show me the hidden inner parts of my heart. I was surprised by some un-truths that I had been holding onto, things that stood in direct opposition to the all sufficient power of my Lord. I am so grateful that He cleanses us anew, so that we can see with eyes that have His clear perspective, and His own Words from Scripture. Thank you for posting these insightful questions today! Blessings to you!
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His grace is so amazing isn’t it Bettie! Lovely having you here dear friend 🙂
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Jennifer, I loved reading about narratives. My father was a natural storyteller. I think I inherited his storytelling abilities, which is why I like to write stories in my blog. Most of my posts begin with stories.
Our inner narratives can and should change throughout our lives. Good for you for being flexible enough mentally, spiritually, and emotionally to think about the thought-provoking questions and examine your inner narratives. You have inspires me to do the same thing! I love learning from other bloggers!
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It is such a blessing to grow up with story tellers Laurie 😀
I’m glad you have found inspiration here, openness to growth & change in God is always a blessing 😀
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Lovely flowers ❤
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Thank you 😀
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I need to consider my inner narrative every day! A friend of mine recently told me that she’s writing her narrative down on index cards. If it isn’t right, true, noble, pure, lovely, or admirable – she’s writing the truth down on the other side of the card. Love that idea! Thank you for the thoughtful post…
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Hi Amy, lovely to have you drop by 😀 I like that idea too, it’s another version of daily journaling.
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Listening and trying to figure out our inner narrative stories is so important. I know I have learned a lot about myself by listening. Sometimes I find they are voices of other people, say my mother. But interestingly enough, I think we remember and our brain plays the negative voices and not the positive ones. Therefore seeing the lies they contain is so helpful. So we can evaluate and break the lie.
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Yes, sadly the negative voices are the ones that most often play over & over until we allow God’s truth in to correct them 😉
Lovely having you drop by Theresa.
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It’s so important that our narrative is informed with biblical truth. I used to feel like a complete failure and beat myself up whenever I messed up to any degree. Realizing that God extended grace helped me to extend grace to myself. It’s then easy for that to slide the other way toward not holding ourselves accountable and making excuses. But walking according to Scripture, we know we’re sinners and won’t be perfect til heaven, yet we rely on God’s strength to do His will, and when we fail, we rest in His arms of grace and forgiveness.
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That we do Barbara, lovely to have you join me here for our time together. I’m glad we can see our lives & selves through His eyes rather than our clouded lenses! 😀
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So true that the story we tell ourselves is destiny shaping!
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Absolutely Michele!
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