Faith Story
Stop.
Pause and quiet your heart and mind. Breathe in and say, “You are my savior.” Breathe out and say, “You are in the world.” Repeat as many times as you need.
Listen.
But Jesus refused, and said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed. – Mark 5:19-20
Reflect.
In our Renewing Worship series on Sunday mornings, we’re talking about elements of worship. Some of them are so rote that we hardly think of them. Some of them are things we’ve never really understood. Some of them might not even be especially familiar to us. Testimony, what we talked about this past week, probably falls into the latter category. Depending on the faith tradition in which you were raised, you haven’t likely seen much testimony in worship.
Still, you probably know what it is. Someone gets up in front of others and tells them what God has done in their lives. Sometimes it’s a dramatic, life-changing (or life-saving) event. Sometimes it’s the influence of another person. Sometimes it’s a quiet realization of God’s presence or power. No matter the story, the point is the same: God is powerfully at work in our lives.
It can be intimidating to think about telling our own stories. You might think you don’t actually have a story, or if you do, it’s not especially worth telling. I promise you that’s not true. God’s been at work in your life. Whatever your story – quiet or dramatic, emotional or stoic, remarkable or steady – it will give hope and encouragement to someone else.
In Mark 5, Jesus heals someone suffering from possession. When the man is healed, and everyone sees the dramatic change in his life, he decides he wants to follow Jesus wherever he travels. Jesus tells him he can’t. Instead, Jesus tells him to go back home and tell others about what Jesus did. In other words, the man wanted his religious experience to be a continuing personal event. But Jesus calls him to instead bear public witness. That way, the healing brings hope to the man and everyone who knows him. Jesus sends you out to do the same.
Pray.
God, in Jesus’ name you have granted me so many gifts. Grant me also the gift of confidence to share his power in my life. Make my faith into something that doesn’t just give me comfort, but also shares that grace and mercy with others. Amen.
Carry On.
What’s your 30 second faith story? If someone asked you why you believe, could you tell the story succinctly? Try it out. Does it make you feel more confident to know that you could give testimony in this way?