7 Lessons from the Movie I Can Only Imagine

Yesterday my wife and I went with some friends from our church to watch the movie I Can Only Imagine. The movie tells the story of Bart Millard in his early years, who is the lead singer for Mercy Me.

I want to share some lessons we can learn from Bart’s life as seen in the movie. In sharing these lessons, I will reveal some “spoilers” from the move. I don’t think knowing these things ahead of time will distract from the experience for most people. Still, some of you may want to watch the movie first and then come back and read this.

1.  Words are powerful

Bart’s father is abusive. He is both physically and verbally abusive. It’s obvious that physical abusive does terrible damage. The movie does a good job of showing how verbal abuse can also be deeply damaging to a person’s soul. Cruel words can lodge in a person’s heart and mind and haunt them for years. For this reason, it is important for all of us to remember this exhortation:

NIV Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

For those who have suffered verbal abuse, the lies and attacks can be replaced by God’s truth spoken through God’s Word and God’s people. This is often a long process.

2.  Giving others a chance can bear much good fruit

Bart’s father discouraged him from using the gift for singing that God gave him. Thankfully, some other people in the movie see Bart’s gift and God uses them to encourage him along the way. These people include a high school music teacher, a pastor, his band, and his manager.

In a world full of discouraging forces, giving someone encouragement in the right direction can be vital. One way this is sometimes done is by giving a person a chance to use a gift and help them get started. The people God used to helped Bart early on paved the way for God to later work through Bart to bless many millions of people through his songs.

In the Bible, Barnabas helps the Apostle Paul get started in a similar way (Acts 9:27). You never know how God will later use someone whom you encourage and help along the way. I feel that some of the most fruitful ways God has worked through my life has been times when I helped and encouraged others to move forward in ministry.

3.  Seeds of God’s truth often bear amazing fruit years later

The movie shows how some seeds of God’s truth planted in Bart’s heart at a Christian camp when he was a young boy eventually bear beautiful fruit. While this can apply in adult ministry as well, it should be a special encouragement to all who work with children and youth.

NIV Deuteronomy 4:9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.

4. Forgiveness Is Essential and Very Hard

Perhaps the biggest lesson of the movie is about forgiveness. Forgiving his father turns out to be an essential step for Bart to take in order for him to be ready for God to use him in big ways. But forgiveness is really hard. I’m glad the movie does not make it look like it easy, or should be easy, to forgive really deep damaging wounds like child abuse. Forgiveness is often a long process which doesn’t happen in a moment.

Bart’s story reminds me of the story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis. It’s very hard for Joseph to forgive his brothers. In fact, he begins to take limited vengeance on them when they show up in Egypt. But Joseph eventually does fully forgive.

In both Bart’s story and Joseph’s, the people who hurt them do truly repent. This allows a deep level of reconciliation to occur. When others don’t repent, we should still forgive them in terms of not seeking personal revenge and by God’s grace being willing to bless them instead of harm them if God gives us the opportunity. But full reconciliation does require repentance from those who have done wrong.

5.  The movie shows how God can transform even the worst people

At the beginning of the movie, Bart’s father is a monster. Can God’s grace transform someone who is so cruel and hard? The wonderful answer is yes. God transformed a cruel persecutor of the church into a great Apostle in the first century and, as this movie shows, God is still working miraculous transformations today.    

6. The Power of Long Term Intercessory prayer

Bart had a good friend who prayed for him regularly over a period of years. Those prayers are answered. God can use us to change lives through prayer!

7. God uses Our Suffering for Good in this Life and in Eternity

God uses all the suffering and loss in Bart’s life to prepare him for powerful ministry to millions of people. When we are walking with God and trusting Him, none of our suffering is wasted.

Bart and others in the movie suffer severely. But by the end of the movie, the suffering seems a small thing compared to the glory to come.

NIV 2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

The movie ends with the song it is named after.

Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .