Testimony

Testimony

Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me.

THE HARD WOODEN PEW creaked beneath me as I wiggled to get comfortable. Our old church smelled of wood polish and musty hymnals, but it was familiar to me, even comforting. I remember the pastor asking for testimonies and watching parishioners raise their hands and then stand across the aisle to share their story. They’d sit down to nods and smiles and amens as another would chime in, offering an example of something God had done recently in their life.

My own parents love to tell the story of how often my dad would get up to share the testimony about how he came to know Jesus in a very personal way, but his heart was so tender to the experience that he would often break down in tears, unable to finish. My mother, who abhors the spotlight, would have to stand up next to him, finishing their story of how our family became believers. She smiles now as she teases my dad about those days.

I remember, as a child, how I loved those nights. I loved hearing the testimonies of what God had done. It’s not that I so much remember the details, but I remember the feeling I got knowing that God was working in people’s lives—in the good and the hard things that happened. It brought the things I was being taught in Sunday school, all those old Bible stories of God’s faithfulness, to life in the present.

As an adult, I’ve come to know that there is much power in our testimonies and the telling of them. The Bible is filled with stories of people who were imperfect and weak, ill-equipped and sinful—yet God showed up to do something in their lives that they could have never accomplished on their own. Our stories are no different today. No one can argue your story. When we tell others of what God has done for us, we bear witness to his grace, mercy, and love.

Lord, give me eyes to see all that you have done in my life, the ways you have shown up in the good and hard times. Amen.

-Kendra

One Good Step: Spend time thinking about or writing down the things God has done in your life. Share your testimony with someone else.