OUR TRIAL CAN BECOME A TESTIMONY

“Don’t drink too much wine, for many evils lie along that path; be filled instead with the Holy Spirit and controlled by him. Talk with each other much about the Lord, quoting psalms and hymns and singing sacred songs, making music in your hearts to the Lord. Always give thanks for everything to our God and Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Ephesians 5:18-20.

If you read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, you will probably conclude that living for God can be pretty dangerous based on some of the stories. Job, Joseph, Moses, David, Isaiah, Ruth, Jeremiah, Peter, and many others all faced major trials. The three Hebrews were thrown into a fiery furnace. Daniel spent a night with hungry lions. John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded, and Paul was stoned and left for dead.

In the book of Daniel, the faith of Daniel and his friends was tested time and again. Taken from their homeland as young men, they were dropped into a different culture and expected to adapt to their new reality. Yet, despite every difficulty they faced, they never wavered in their devotion to the one true God. When King Darius came to check on him after Daniel’s night with the lions, he asked, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions” (Daniel 6:20)? Daniel was able to answer, “My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty” (verse 22). What a testimony of God’s power and faithfulness Daniel gave to this pagan king.

There are many modern-day Daniels. No, they weren’t carried away to a strange land or turned a lion’s den into a petting zoo, but they have endured challenging situations. In A Martyr’s Grace, Marvin Newell tells the biographies of 21 Moody Bible Institute alumni who gave their lives for Christ. The book describes where they served and how their legacy and testimony live on in the rainforests, villages, churches, and cities where they died.

A Christ-like response to trials validates what Jesus is accomplishing in a believer’s life. A testimony is your story of how God has transformed your life, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some are very dramatic, with wild turning points and big “ah-ha moments.” Others are some are far less so and have a slow build, but they are no less inspiring. Some testimonies may involve great struggles and the story of how Jesus helped them through it. Some may involve a few different incidents that make far more sense after some time and reflection enables you to see the hand of God working in your life.

Trials and tribulations, though challenging, can deepen our understanding of faith, strengthen our character, and provide powerful stories to share as part of our testimonies. James 1:2-4 says, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

Discussion Questions:

What are some practical ways to prepare a testimony that is both authentic and impactful?
How can our trials help make the point when sharing our testimonies?