For my frequent readers, you may notice this is a revised post. For the remaining of 2023, I’ve selected and revised some of your favorite blog posts while I work to complete my first book! Many of you have been excited and reached out about my book, Psalm 119: Stringing Pearls. More updates coming soon.
“Other people are going to find healing in your wounds. Your greatest life messages and your most effective ministry will come out of your deepest hurts.”
Pastor and Author, Rick Warren
Did you know that the fear of discouraging others, the fear of making them feel less than or compared to, or even being afraid of turning them away from God, reveals a reliance on self?
But God can use anything to reveal His glory to anyone so that they would encounter His presence and power. He’s not limited by our thoughts, doubts, and fears. Instead, those fears limit us from seeing God’s hand and miracles in our lives. Those fears reveal a reliance and focus on ourselves, which take away our ability to connect with people and even share our testimonies.
Throughout the Bible, we see testimonies everywhere. When Jesus healed people, they testified of their healing and glorified God. When the two Marys came to Jesus’ tomb in Matthew 28, the angel told them to testify that Christ rose from the dead. After Paul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus in Acts 9, he included his testimony as he proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When you see the miracles of God, your sharing of testimonies enhances and highlights the life and power of Christ flowing in and through you.
Personally, I knew this on the surface, but I didn’t fully grasp how powerfully God can move through testimonies. The fear of what others will think or feel or do is not up to us, it’s up to them. Our motive in sharing God-stories should always be to glorify Him, not ourselves.
Sharing testimonies is the opposite of discouraging people. It encourages, brings hope, and cheers up those who are disheartened. It connects us on a human level, reminding us we’re not alone in our struggles and triumphs. I often held back in saying something, especially when I saw someone going through a difficult time. But that’s why we have the Holy Spirit to help us. He leads us in those moments to say what we need to say.
We’re all going through something, but that should never hold us back from testifying God’s love, power, and truth in our lives. Hebrews 10:24-25 says to consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together… but encouraging one another.
Testimonies build up faith, which is the opposite of fearing what others will think or feel. When you build up in faith, your confidence comes from God, and that’s never at the cost of yours or another person’s character. It reveals and builds up hope, love, and truth, because that’s the motive of God’s heart. When faith increases, you realize again that it’s not based on your own works, but according to God’s mercy and grace (Titus 3:5).
As faith gets built up, testimonies also motivate and spur people on to act! This is the opposite of turning others away from God. Paul wrote to the Ephesians to not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs. When you share testimonies about how God has or is moving in your life, you motivate others to trust, pursue, and even turn back to God. He can use your stories to build others up according to their needs.
Sharing testimonies also overcomes isolation, letting others know they’re not alone in their struggles. They inspire transformation, igniting a spark of faith in others. It honors God’s grace, acknowledging His role in our lives and demonstrating our gratitude. Finally, testimonies glorify God. They point to Jesus, His death, burial, and resurrection. And they reveal the power and evidence of God in and through our lives. Isaiah prophesied in chapter 48:10-11, that God does not and will not yield His glory to another. So, even if we tried to take the glory for ourselves, God could work through that and bring the glory back to Himself.
In sharing this, I want to note that this isn’t about being careless about what you say and how often you share a testimony. But an encouragement to not hold back if you’re afraid of what others will think or say or do. The Holy Spirit is your guide and helps to share what is necessary. He is also there to protect you and the ears of those who are listening. We must trust Him to do the revealing and leading in to all truth.
The power of your testimony is about God’s work in your life. You are a direct witness to what He has done and does in your life. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:20, we are ambassadors for Christ, so let us testify of His life, death, and resurrection through our lives.
As we celebrate the impact of testimonies, I invite you to share your own story in the comments below. Your experiences and encounters with God may be the beacon of hope someone desperately needs.
Don’t fear discouraging someone when you share your testimony. Don’t fear making them feel less than or compared to. And don’t fear turning them away from God. Trust God to guide your words and share freely!
Remember, the power of our testimonies lies not just in the recounting of events, but in the transformative work of God in our lives. Embrace the scars, for they may be the keys to healing for others. As we journey together, may our stories collectively amplify the love, power, and truth of our incredible God more than anything else.
tanyaremkiv 
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