photo credit: fabrizio verrecchia (unsplash.com)

I’m with you. I’ve walked the straight and narrow since I was an infant, although my straight could have been a little less crooked, and my narrow was too wide at times. Mom always took us to church, I accepted Jesus as my Savior when I was seven years old, and was baptized by immersion a few weeks later. When I hear the testimonies of people who were rescued from sexual promiscuity, drugs, alcohol, you get the idea, I start to wonder if my testimony is boring. What exactly did Jesus save me from at seven? Maybe you’ve felt this way too.

Consider this with me. All your life, you have been faithful. Every single Sunday, or the majority of them, you’ve planted your butt in a church pew. Many of us come from generations of faithful believers. We might have had brief seasons where church wasn’t a priority, but for the most part we’re here to stay and we know it. We’ve spent enough time in the church to know it’s not perfect. Honestly, it can get seriously messed up. Hypocrites. Still, it’s the place where we first heard about God. Here, we learned the only answer to this world and its trouble is Jesus. We choose to stay.

A testimony of faithfulness is anything but boring. 

When my own faith gets weak, I look to you, the faithful. Your families are also part of this world, and your loved ones are inflicted with terminal diseases, chronic pain, family splits, job loss, the list keeps on going. There are no exemptions in a fallen world. People you've helped because, even though you didn't know exactly what to do, you trusted the one who never leaves us or forsakes us. You keep doing the only things you've ever found that work, even when it’s hard and you doubt. You pray. You reach out to other believers. You read your Bible. You put your faith into practice, as you’ve always done. The fact that you keep walking in faith encourages me.

A steadfast testimony is not boring.

We do find stories in the Bible about the radically saved; men and women rescued from all manner of evil living. In your mind, you can think of individuals you know today who are like this as well. Their testimony is one of beautiful deliverance. Great forgiveness and mighty mercy matters. There are other stories though. Think about the prodigal son’s older brother. Stephen, the martyr. Simeon, who even as an old man, looked forward to the day he would meet the Messiah face to face. Your own testimony.

All of our testimonies are for God's glory. We all need grace. A friend mentioned once how envious he is of Christians with an easier testimony, because they probably don't carry as much shame and regret. Often, their past is less burdensome. I found that perspective interesting. If we trust God with every part of our lives, and we continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, he’ll give our faith a depth that can only be achieved from years of following Jesus.

A deep faith is not boring.