Why Your Testimony Matters

I used to think that my testimony was pretty pathetic.

I remember one Sunday when my pastor gave his salvation testimony during my church’s morning service. Despite its intended encouragement, I was left feeling a little empty inside.

My testimony was not even close to being that interesting.

My pastor spoke, “Through God’s saving grace, I left the wild life that was influenced by drugs and was led to serve the Lord.”

I responded in my head, “Well, I got saved at six, and that’s about it.”

Admittedly, it made me feel as if my testimony was worthless.

I was proud to be a Christian, but wondered, did my simple story of coming to salvation as a child matter? Would I ever be able to affect anyone with my faith since my testimony was so unextraordinary?

Since then, I’ve learned a huge lesson: no testimony is ever pathetic or worthless.

Not mine, and not yours.

What is a Testimony?

When wrestling with the significance of our testimonies, it’s helpful to ask ourselves this question: what is a testimony?

Our testimonies are bigger than a memory of a simple prayer and so much bigger than our sinful emotions. Above all, our testimonies have an overarching goal: to bring glory to the One who has saved us –Jesus Christ.

Our salvation stories are a chance to bring adoration to the Lord of lords and King of kings, who has loved us with an everlasting love and sealed us with an eternal promise. It’s our chance to worship our merciful Savior and to praise our all-sufficient Yahweh with even the smallest words.

Our testimonies are less about who we were and what we did, and more about Who Christ is and what He has done for us.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

As Christians with stories of God’s redeeming love, we have the opportunity to glorify Him every day by sharing our testimony with others.

We All Need Christ

Over the past summer, I had the opportunity to work at camp for a little over a month, and it changed my entire perspective of my salvation story. It was literally life-altering.

During the first few days at camp, we underwent multiple training sessions to spiritually prepare ourselves for work. There, we focused on Ephesians two. The following verses hit my heart,

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” (Ephesians 2:4-7).

I was so lost in my own sinfulness that to God, I was considered dead. I had no story whatsoever. I had no Hope.

But God changed me entirely. He gave me a story. He gave me a Hope. I was dead, but now I’m alive.

These verses reminded me of an important aspect of my faith: my need for Christ.

Our testimonies are not just simple stories of personal growth. They are public displays of how Christ has changed us through His unconditional love and sacrificial grace. They are revelations of how much we need Christ.

The truth is, whether God saved us from a wild life of drug use like my pastor, or saved us at the tender age of six, we all need Christ just the same. And that makes every testimony worth telling.

We Can Be a Light

While at camp, I had the chance to be a junior counselor to about ten girls. One night, the head counselor asked if I would share my testimony. Immediately, I said yes.

I never knew how much joy that experience would give. I talked for at least five minutes, and the whole time, the girls listened. It was so satisfying, the way I was able to share how God had changed me and worked in my life.

I believe God gave me that opportunity to teach me an important lesson: I can be a light for Him, even if I consider my testimony insignificant to other Christian testimonies.

Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

God has commanded us to be a light for Him, no matter the circumstance or the story. By sharing our testimonies, we reveal the Light of Jesus to those living in darkness. Coupled with actions that show God’s mercy and love, we can minister hope to the lost.

Impacting Other Believers

Several months ago, I facetimed one of my best friends and shared how God had been working in my life. In the span of our two-hour conversation, she also shared her testimony. We both left the conversation feeling very encouraged.

Despite all I’d learned about the importance of my testimony, this conversation taught me even more.

Not only is my testimony a display of God’s goodness for unbelievers, but it is also an encouragement for my brothers and sisters in Christ.

In Hebrews 10:23-25 it says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

The author of Hebrews is instructing the early Christians to regularly gather and lift up each other, encouraging one another to love and good works.

This instruction also applies to us. Sharing our testimonies with other Christians is a huge way to impact other believers. Even the smallest encouragement can brighten someone’s day in a way we might never realize.

Every Testimony Matters

Long story short, your testimony matters!

God has given each of us a story that He can work through every day, whether we see the results or not. We can glorify the Lord, be light to those in darkness, and impact fellow believers simply by sharing how God has given us hope in this life and the next.

We never need to lessen or doubt the importance of our salvation experience or view it as small or insignificant.

Each of us has encountered the awesomeness of God’s unconditional love and His love is no small thing.