Have you ever had an epiphany? An epiphany is “a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if a story could produce a sudden epiphany-like experience? You hear a story; it deals with something personal in need of your assessment. You assess the story’s content and instantly apply the story to your life. Ta-dah… epiphany!

There’s no doubt about it, stories can produce an emotional and intellectual response with their contents of plot-line, characters and descriptive. From this we can gain a perspective—an insight into our lives and our story. Anything can happen in the very short moments of a story… anything.

There is nothing more wonderful for me than hearing an audience member share of their experience of being awakened to something personal from a story that I’ve told. One particular story, “The Sack,” has offered more than one awakening.

To be frank, the story doesn’t end well. It is a difficult one to tell, at times, because I know where it’s headed. Sometimes I am familiar with the audience and its community story and I know “The Sack” is going to hit a tender place. Many times there is a quiet that follows this story. What happens next is essential to what listeners will choose to do with this story.

More often than not, this story becomes a bridge. As the listener walks across that bridge (so to speak) God is going to deal with something in that sack of theirs. It will be highly personal.

Of course, as listeners, we can stay clear of that bridge. But it’s there. And one step in front of the other could lead to something quite amazing and profoundly personal and at the same time freeing.

I know that you might be thinking this story is sounding a little bit intriguing. Why don’t you take about 10 minutes and listen to “The Sack.” And if you could do one more thing following the story. Sit, for just a few more minutes, and ask this question: “God, do I have a sack? And God what do you want me give to you today?” I promise you it will be a sweet moment between you and God. He will not condemn you. He will speak tenderly just as He has to me about my own sack.

Hoping for a bridge…