Your Testimony Matters: A Challenge to Believers

In 2020 my youth pastor challenged the teens at our church to write out our testimonies and share them with our family. Scary, huh? Why randomly start preparing to tell our story? It may sound a bit odd at first, but there is a lot of wisdom to that suggestion. Because your testimony matters.

All of our testimonies are unique. We have each had different walks with God. There are similarities, yes…most of us have been through storms and valleys; my skies have seen their fair share of clouds and yours have too. But we each have different trials, struggles, and victories.

So, why is this important? Simple: people love stories. We all connect emotionally to raw and honest struggles or truths. Sometimes it takes hearing someone else admit to a difficulty for us to identify it in our own life. Other times it can be a comfort to see others being vulnerable and open about their past, which can lead to open doors to sharing the gospel.

There are so many ways God can use our stories in the lives of others. But, in considering this topic, I’ve come to an interesting conclusion: God doesn’t always use our testimonies for the sake of others. Sometimes His desire for our testimony is to simply remind us of how broken we are, and how great and flawless He is.

What is a Testimony? 

The word “testimony” can sound very serious and specific, and, in a way, it is. However, it doesn’t have to be a scary concept or idea; it simply means sharing about…

1. Who you were before/without Jesus
2. How you “met” Jesus
3. Who you are now

That is just a vague overview of the concept of a testimony. Those points are the backbone, so to speak. Everyone has a different story, some contrast drastically and others are a bit more similar, but they are each unique. To put in-depth and rigid guidelines around a testimony would be to lose the entire value of the story!

Your testimony is quite simply: acknowledging your weakness and need for Christ, and the change in your life due to His power and love. It’s that simple. Don’t overthink things, otherwise you’ll end up worrying so much about what a “correct” testimony is, that you’ll forget the purpose of it in the first place.

I also want to note something interesting in relation to the definition of the word “testimony”.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a testimony is…

1          a: a solemn declaration usually made orally by a witness under oath in response to interrogation by a lawyer or authorized public official

b: firsthand authentication of a fact: EVIDENCE

c: an outward sign

2          a: an open acknowledgment

b: a public profession of religious experience

So, in one sense it is an “evidence” or “outward sign” and in another it is “a public profession of religious experience” (Merriam-Webster).

Our testimony shouldn’t be something that we simply tell; it should be something we live.

Why Your Testimony Matters

If you are a Christian, your testimony matters because you are now living proof of Christ’s power and love. You have been sought by a grace and mercy that is beyond the comprehension of this world. You have been redeemed and made new in Christ.

1 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

As a follower of Christ, you are a new creation. You don’t belong to this world anymore; heaven is your home.

And you know why that matters?

It matters because there are millions—even billions—of people who are still looking.

Life is kind of like hide and seek. We humans hide for as long as we can, waiting for the Seeker. After a while, we wonder if He has given up on trying to find us. We wonder if He’s going to get to us in time. We wonder… and we wonder…and we wonder…

But the funny thing about this version of the game is that the Seeker already knows where we are. He’s waiting for us with open arms. All we must do is come out of hiding.

So, for those of us who “once were lost, but now are found” we should live boldly. There should be an urgency in our hearts, a desire to tell everyone that there is hope; that they don’t have to hide anymore. To show them your scars and how Jesus made them beautiful. To remind them that they are not alone, the sun will rise again, that there is hope in our God’s name. That is why your testimony matters.

Because you have been found; and there are lonely souls that are still hiding.

Tying Simple Truths and Reminders Into Your Testimony

Sharing your testimony offers unique opportunities to clarify the gospel for those who may be confused (or simply need reminders!). Try to find some ways to add verses that relate to your testimony or passages that helped you in different parts of your walk to/with God.

For example, an easy way to do this is by adding some depth to the part of your testimony where you recognized Jesus as your Savior. You can add Bible passages to this, songs, sermons, or even explain a bit of what you prayed. This gives people a more personal idea of what it looks like to give one’s life to Christ.

Don’t overstress this! It doesn’t have to be fancy or special; just be creative and pray over what you’re going to say. God knows better than we what those who are listening most need to hear.

My Challenge to You

I’m giving myself, and you with me, a challenge…because our world needs it.

Our world needs people that are willing to speak truth and live boldly for God. And you could be one of those people. In fact, if you are a Christian, you are called to be one of those people. But it takes stepping out of your comfort zone for the sake of a greater purpose and passion for God. Are you willing?

Here’s the challenge:

Write out your testimony. Include the three main points I mentioned above (i.e. 1. Who you were before/without Jesus; 2. How you “met” Jesus; 3. Who you are now) and a few scripture references.

Then share it with someone you trust. A family member, close friend, mentor, etc. Someone that won’t judge what you have to share and that will listen patiently. I know it might be awkward, but you can do it! If not for yourself than for the sake of the opportunities God might give you down the road.

Here’s the hard part: share your story with someone that doesn’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior or is struggling with their faith.

Awkward?

I agree, my friend.

It’s okay to be a little hesitant. But remember, 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

We are all weak without Christ; He is our strength. By humbling ourselves and admitting our brokenness we are elevating our King. So, if you’re hesitant to tell your story or be honest about your flaws…that’s okay. It’s part of human nature. We don’t like to be weak. We want to be the strong ones. But we aren’t meant to be the strong ones. Yahweh is.

I challenge you to pray about it and consider Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

The simple truth is that your testimony matters. And the world is waiting for a voice they can relate to, a voice that has been through trials and fire and a voice that speaks truth.

What if that voice is yours?