Your Story Matters

Growing up, I didn’t like the word “testimony.” In Christian circles, this word is often used when people tell others about what God has done in their lives. It seemed to me like the people who told their testimonies usually had epic stories of how God saved them from really hard things, like addictionwhich is AWESOME! But sometimes, I felt like my experience was small compared to theirs. For a lot of my life, I felt like I didn’t really have a story to tell. But this verse caught my attention: Psalm 107:2 says, Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story. It seems like everyone God has redeemed is called to share, not just the people with big stories. I wonder if we get to know our God better when we listen to each other, because God works in so many ways. We also get to celebrate together that God is good and his love endures forever (Psalm 107:1)! As Christians, we all have a story to tell because Jesus rescued us. Even the Psalms point to Jesus, the rescuer God promised to send to save us. And each of us doesn’t just have one testimony. Because the moment we first decided to put our trust in Jesus is not the only time we’ve experienced God’s goodness and love. Throughout our lives, we all continue to get in trouble, both because rotten things happen to us and because we mess up. And God is our help through all of it. We can cry out to Him again and again. The more we seek God the Father, the more we follow Jesus, the more we listen to the Holy Spirit the more ways we’ll experience His goodness and love! If you’re not sure how to tell your stories, take a look at the model in Psalm 107. Over and over again, one line keeps coming up: Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress (Psalm 107:6). This psalm has a repeating structure: (1) People were in trouble. (2) They cried out to God. (3) God rescued them in a powerful way. (4) The people thanked and praised God. Any time God helps you, it’s worth celebrating! Your story matters. Even if it’s messy or short, even if it seems boring or small to you, even if you don’t know all the details because your story is about Jesus! Through Him, the same God who rescued these people in Psalm 107 is the One who rescues you. Hannah Howe Have you ever heard someone share a testimony that impacted you? What was their story? In your own life, what is one way God has helped you? Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story Psalm 107:1-2a (NIV)

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Psalm 107