PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• 46 million turkeys are about to be eaten. Personally, I’d be up for skipping the turkey and just making a big bowl of spaghetti. But in my mom’s house, tradition reigns over tastebuds—even though no one in our family really likes turkey that much. And since the four of us don’t like it that much, you may be asking the same question I am—why?
Well, because turkey doesn’t taste that great unless it’s been processed and hammered down into Boars Head sandwich meat. I personally prefer the cracked pepper kind though I usually order ham.
In all seriousness, it all comes back to why? Toddlers worldwide have mastered the word while Simon Sinek has made us ponder the question. It’s the question companies ask as they evaluate mission statements… it’s the question organizations face as they evaluate their processes… and it’s the question people ask as they evaluate their life, their purpose, or why someone felt compelled to wash red pants with a white shirt.
Why?
So here is my why question today: Why do you believe in God?
Maybe you have an inherited faith… you grew up going to church and it’s part of what you do… but do you do it because it’s expected or because you’ve personally embraced the Word of God?
Maybe you discovered God through your own searching? Maybe you weren’t raised in the church, but your heart knew there was something more…
Why did you give your life to Jesus?
The answer to these questions is the “why” of your testimony. Perhaps your testimony is a dramatic story of coming to faith from the lowest point in your life. Or perhaps your testimony is simply because you knew you needed a Savior. Or maybe your testimony is somewhere in the middle.
Maybe you don’t think your story is worth telling.
In my years of writing about people in my community, I know that everyone has a story. Even those who don’t think they do. So if you’re one of those who doesn’t think your testimony is worth telling, let me set the record straight.
Your story is worth telling because it’s not about you. Your testimony is about Jesus. It’s about what He did for you and what He’s doing in your life. It doesn’t matter whether or not you have a testimony full of dramatic plot twists. It boils down to this fact that is true for all Christians: you were rescued. You may have grown up in a traditional home with loving parents and had a great education but you needed a Rescuer as much as the drug addict and prostitute laying in a ditch.
We’re a society that loves a good story and in the process, we miss opportunities to share our testimony of what Jesus is doing in our lives because we think our testimonies are boring. We assume that if it’s not the kind of story that is sensational enough for a movie script, then no one wants to hear it.
Tell it anyway. It’s not about us, it’s about Him! When we share our testimony, it’s about pointing others to Jesus. Jesus told the man He healed from a demon, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19b ESV).
You do the same. Tell others why you believe in Jesus. Tell them what Jesus has done for you.
Today, as you pray, thank Jesus for being your Savior and for rescuing you. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you articulate your testimony in a way that keeps Jesus as the focal point. And ask Him for opportunities to share your testimony with others.
