I was once told that the stories we tell ourselves determine each and every choice that we make. The narrative we weave about our world, our experience, our character, our nature, and our God all play a part in our decisions. We are embedded in the fabric of our stories.

Some of these stories and their resulting actions are pretty basic: I believe that other drivers will generally stop at a red light so I feel comfortable cautiously proceeding when my light turns green. Some of these stories are much more complex: From the stories I believe about God and the story that I believe about myself, I will choose a job according to how it fits in my vocation story.

Though most of these stories are true enough, some are less so and others even completely faulty. When I was a teenager my narrative led me to believe that people were…