On testimonies

About 3 years ago I worked on a project where I created videos of staff members at camp telling their testimonies. I was really excited about the videos and the idea because we wanted our campers to see that Jesus was real in the lives of the staff members who they were hanging out with all week.

What I didn't expect was the resistance staff members (mostly college students) would have in telling their testimonies. And for many of them, it wasn't because of their testimony being too personal. It wasn't things that were deep and they didn't want to talk about.

They told me "I don't have anything to say; I don't have a testimony."

And I think it's sad that so many people are afraid to share about Christ in their life or that they feel like they have nothing to share. Because if we've been walking with Jesus, even for a year- much more ten years or a lifetime- we should have so many stories of how Jesus changed our lives.
And I just have to question, are so many Christians who are raised in the church not encountering the presence of the Holy Spirit. Do they really not experience Jesus deeply in their personal lives?

Or is it that we've built testimonies up like movies? We expect to be entertained; we expect drama and action and romance and life and death? We think the only people who have a testimony are those who slept around and murdered someone or got raped before knowing God? And then God made it all better? Right. Well praise God for the people who experienced really hard situations in their life and God saved them. It is a testimony. But it's also a testimony to live a life of purity. It's also a testimony to not fall addicted to pornography, to not be tempted by the wrong crowd of people, to deny yourself of friendship and relationships and movies because you want to follow Christ? And there are struggles in overcoming these things that would testify to the Lord's power and grace. It doesn't have to be the big things all the time. Sometimes the little things make the biggest difference.

I think it's important for us to think about our testimony. To know what God has brought us through in the past and the ways He's worked in our lives. And if we can't see God at work, then we have to question "Do I know Him?" Because the God I know is constantly changing us closer and closer to His character; it's not a boring thing to walk with God. For me, it's been the best and craziest adventure of my life.

But more than having a story to tell; we have to question if we are living testimonies.
I can tell you stories and stories of how Jesus has worked in my life.
But if you look at me and don't see Jesus' love then all the words are in vain.

So I think it's important to pray not only for God to work in us- to give us testimonies- and reasons to show His power. But to change us into people that can be living testimonies.

 I don't know if you identify with the fear, of thinking, maybe I'm not good enough to be a living testimony. Maybe my life doesn't look like the SDA poster girl/guy right now? Maybe you've been through things that took away my innocence?

But the thing is God loves us for exactly who we are and yes He desires to change us; but He desires to use us even while we are broken and in our weaknesses. We don't have to compare ourselves to the Christian across the church isle. If we would be honest in glorifying Christ but also acknowledging our struggles, I think so many other individuals could be blessed. Because when we admit our brokenesses to each other and pray for each other, there is power. So often we feel the expectation to pretend that we're doing great, and Christians go to church and struggle alone. Everybody struggles and Christ wants us to overcome, but we have to help each other as a community. We have to have fellowship, and accountability, and support, and prayer. So I think an honest individual who is willing to talk about their struggles and how they are overcoming through Christ and just be honest about their walk towards God, is often so much more powerful than a perfectly polished "everything's great right now" story.

Titus 3 verses 3-5 says For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy.

And Psalm 71 verses 15 to 18 says "My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day for their number is past my knowledge. With the mighty deeds of the Lord God... I will remind them of your righteousness God alone.

May our prayers be that God would sanctify our lives and lead us toward Holiness. That He would make us people that do know HIs love and that can love others the way He loves us. And that we would be living testimonies- that His light would shine within us- on our best and on our broken days.