God has always had a funny way of timing things in my life. He always has people say things to me at the right moments, or has things happen to me at the right times. A few nights ago, I got to talk to Scott, one of our ministry hosts, about something that I had been struggling with internally. Scott talked about the power of your testimony and exactly why it is so important to share it.
Now let me start with this, I have never shared my testimony before. I have known Jesus and all that He has done for me for a long time, but I have never had the opportunity or been asked to share my testimony or my story before. I have always felt that those who hear about my past will then use it against me and bring it up unnecessarily. I will be honest with you, the thought of sharing my whole story makes me nervous. Those of you that know me, know that I have struggled with some things in my past and have made some bad decisions, but the point is, who hasn’t?
Most of us, and I am making an assumption here, have gone through some hardships in their lives before, but we have a hard time sharing them. This is because we feel like no one will understand us or that we are the only one who has gone through it. Let me tell you what, that is a bunch of bull. A lot of the struggles that I have had in my life have been experienced by so many people, but how will I ever know that if I don’t share with them my story? And by doing that, I am giving them a safe and relatable place to tell theirs. Everything that I have gone through and experienced is just another way to relate to someone who might be going through something similar. Once I had been redeemed and have found that I am a new person through grace, then I am setting an example to that person that Jesus can do the same for them. Period.
Everyone has a story, and everyone can relate to someone else in some way. So what it boils down to is this: your mess in your ministry. Your crazy past that you may have once been ashamed of can now be used to help those who are still struggling by having someone to go to for words of encouragement instead of condemnation. Relinquishing control of those things that we have kept hidden, and that we have given power over us with, is basically stepping past the enemy (excuse me, Satan, I just need to get by ya real fast…), taking away the deception of being alone in our struggles, and unloading our burdens at the foot of the cross.
This discussion that we had resonated so deeply into my soul and the fear I have had with sharing everything I have been through. But the word that I have been given this month is Redeemed. I have redemption through Him, and now I can use my story to come along side those who need that as well. I am looking forward to seeing what God is going to do with my story and with each and every story that I hear.
“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” Colossians 1:21-22
