You Do Have a Testimony

by Drew Narmour

I often ask people a simple question: how did you become a Christian? You might be surprised how frequently I’m met with a blank stare.

“What do you mean? Well, I was never an atheist.”

More than anything, this reaction tells me their testimony is not something they’ve spent much time thinking about. They may have been walking with Christ for years, but they haven’t developed a testimony they feel comfortable sharing. I think this happens because of two common misunderstandings Christians believe about their conversion.

The most common misunderstanding is that their faith is simply assumed. For some people, even the word conversion feels strange. They grew up in church. They were raised by Christian parents. They cannot remember a time when they did not believe in God. Because there was no single dramatic moment, they assume they must not really have a testimony.

This is understandable. Isn’t this the testimony we all want for our children—that they would grow up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4)? But this kind of story can make identifying conversion feel artificial, like trying to remember the first day you started loving your parents.

But of course, no one is born a believer. At some point, even if it happened gradually—maybe so slowly you didn’t notice it at the time—the gospel started to make sense in a way it hadn’t before. Prayer, church attendance, and reading Scripture became more than duties placed on you by parents. They became part of your own life with God.

For many, that season came in high school or college. For others, it came during a hard year in their thirties. Maybe it happened while sitting in a church they had attended their whole lives and suddenly hearing something they had never really heard before. You may have to think a bit to find it, but it’s there.

The other misunderstanding is that their story isn’t exciting enough. They weren’t in a ditch with a needle in their arm when they heard a voice from God. They didn’t hit some dramatic rock bottom before seeing the light and turning their life around. So they assume it’s not interesting enough to share with others.

We should praise God for dramatic stories of conversion. They are often powerful reminders that no one is beyond the reach of grace. But we should be careful not to treat those stories as the template for a “good” testimony.

Here’s a different way to think about it. I’m one of those people. I sat in the pews for years not thinking I needed to be changed because I was a good church boy. I thought I was safe from hell. I thought I was fine. I wasn’t looking for anything because I assumed I had it all figured out. I wasn’t running to something because I didn’t think there was anything to run from. That God moved toward such a stubborn, arrogant heart is no small miracle. It may not be as thrilling of a story, but it is certainly a reason to stand in awe of such a wonderful God.

Your testimony is one of the simplest ways you can bear witness to Christ in your workplace. Many Christians feel pressure to say something profound when faith comes up with a coworker, client, or friend. They imagine they need a polished argument, a dramatic story, or the perfect answer to every possible objection. But often, one of the most faithful things you can do is simply tell the truth about what God has done in your life. You don’t have to exaggerate your past to make grace look impressive. If God opened your eyes to Christ, forgave your sin, gave you new life, and began reshaping your heart, then you have something worth sharing. The point of your testimony is not that you have an impressive story. The point is that you have a wonderful Savior.