Tag Archives: sharing your testimony

September 25, 2023 · 5:21 AM

Heaven’s Ambassador

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and knowing a lady who is an ambassador from another country. She’s not like the ambassadors and diplomats they portray in movies. She doesn’t drive around in a car with her country’s flags flying from the hood. What she does is the work of an ambassador. She works as a liaison between her country and the United States. Her goal, like all ambassadors, is to build relationships, to communicate important information and to promote programs that benefit both countries. She has fascinating stories of the work her office does and honestly inspires people to want to visit her country when she talks about it. Her work is never done it seems. She is always traveling and educating and promoting.

In John 20, we read the story of the women who went to the tomb of Jesus and found the stone had been moved. When they told the disciples, Peter and John raced to it to find it empty as well. That night, as they were talking about it, Jesus appeared to them. He showed them His scars and wounds. They rejoiced because it was really Him. Then in verse 21 He said to them, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives]” (AMP). He then instructed them to do the work of an ambassador. However, His call wasn’t just to them in this moment. It goes out to you and I as well.

2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us; we [as Christ’s representatives] plead with you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God.” Wherever you go, you are His representative to promote His Kingdom here on earth. You should be communicating His love for others, giving your testimony, telling stories of what God has done for you and inspiring others to want to go to Heaven. You don’t have to fly the Christian flag from the hood of your car announcing it everywhere you go that you’re an ambassador, but you should be living in such a way that’s different from the customs of this world. As you go about your day today, look for opportunities to be His representative so you can make a difference in the lives of others and build a bridge between them and God.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

Giving Comfort

Not long after I started writing devotions, I had an idea to start an online support group. The plan was to write six papers detailing the journey I went through from divorce to bankruptcy to making it through. I found about ten people who were going through similar struggles and were willing to join an online community. My plan was to help them through their darkest time. However, a few weeks in, one of the participants said, “I’m glad you made it through your situation, but I’m more interested in how you did it than the story of what you went through. I need to know how to get through this.” It was great feedback, but I really didn’t have an answer at the time. I became discouraged with the idea and never moved forward with it. When I finally thought of practical things I did, I began to help people individually through their pain.

In 2 Corinthians 1:8, Paul shared a story of intense attacks against his ministry and the work he was trying to do. He said he was crushed and overwhelmed beyond his ability to endure. In fact, he thought he was going to die. It was during that time that he learned to rely on God’s strength, protection and provision instead of his own. That’s when God rescued him and he got the faith to trust God in the most difficult of circumstances. He wanted the church in Corinth and us to know his story so that we would be encouraged and learn to rely on God during our toughest times. He went on to say that what he learned we should do is to quit relying on our own strength and to seek people who will pray over us in those times and God will rescue us to.

In verse 4, he tells us, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (NLT). The pain and struggles you go through have a multifaceted purpose. They’re to get you to rely and trust in God and they’re to get you to help others in their time of trouble. Remember that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and our testimony. Don’t keep your story to yourself. People need to know that you made it through and how you made it through. Your testimony will bring comfort in the middle of pain. It will bring hope in a hopeless situation. It will provide direction when they can’t see a way out. Don’t allow the enemy to keep you quiet. People need the comfort and hope of your story. Their story may not be exactly identical to yours, but the pain and process are. Start looking for someone to share your story with. God is ready to use you to bring comfort.

Photo by Korney Violin on Unsplash

Showing Your Wounds

Earlier this year I was asked to share my testimony of God redeeming me from hitting rock bottom in life. I was nervous about opening up and sharing what I went through because I don’t talk about it much. Our church played the video during each service on Easter. For the next several weeks I had person after person come up and thank me for being vulnerable enough to share. By opening up the scars in my life and making them visible, God was able to bring healing to some people, build faith in others and encourage even more. I had hidden the scars because of the pain and shame they represent in my life, but God uses those things to help others with their trust in Him.

In Luke 24, two men were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus when a third joined them. He asked why they were sad, and they explained that Jesus had been crucified. Then the other man explained how the Torah pointed to a suffering Messiah before revealing Himself as Jesus. He then disappeared and showed up in Jerusalem to meet with the disciples. In verses 39-40 Jesus said, “‘See my pierced hands and feet. See for yourselves, it is I, standing here alive. Touch me and know that my wounds are real. A spirit does not have a body of flesh and bone as you see that I have.’ Then he showed them his pierced hands and feet and let them touch his wounds” (TPT). When He did that, they believed and even Thomas got rid of his doubt.

What wounds have you been keeping hidden? As painful and embarrassing as they may be, they posses the power of freedom, healing and faith in them. By being vulnerable enough to share your scars with others, you let them see that it’s possible to survive what you went through. You show them that God can heal and bring redemption. Revelation 12:11 says we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Don’t let shame and fear keep you from allowing someone else to overcome the same things God brought you through. Your scars are powerful reminders of what God can do. Open them up and let someone touch your wounds. The more you do it, the less painful it is for you. In fact, it becomes empowering for you and others.

If you’d like to see the video of my testimony, click here.

Photo by Krzysztof Maksimiuk on Unsplash

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