Another file in our minds

It is amazing to me that the church today is not more focused on personal testimonies. So many good things happen in the lives of people every day and yet they are just glazed over by the rest of life. When I think of the purpose of the services we have we should glorify God, but we are also called to edify one another, to build one another up; in my mind what better way to build each other up than to share testimony. I believe testimony serves two purposes: first it strengthens the one who is sharing it. I have been personally witness to how encouraging it is to share the great things God has done in my life, I feel closer to God and the account is replayed so that it does not just become another file in my mind. Secondly I believe testimony serves to build each other up. Think about it, how often is it that we find ourselves dealing with the issues of everyday life thinking that either we are the only ones going through it or that we are just never going to rise above whatever it is that Satan is using to keep us down.
I believe very strongly that the greatest tool of Satan to split the man from the spirit of God is silence! We keep silent when we hurt and so we draw further into our hurts; we keep silent when we are broken so we are never repaired; we even tend to keep silent when great things are done and so the works of God are forgotten again and again. Think about what the Bible says, we rejoice with those who rejoice we cry with those who cry. The principle is there I think we just get more focused on our structure and we forget that it was testimony of the works of God that keep His people strong in the Lord.
I was reading this afternoon in Judges 2 and I came across verse 7 which really struck me as it says: "The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. What struck me was that Israel remained faithful as long as they were constantly reminded of how amazing God was and is. As soon as the eyewitness testimonies died they forgot! What a tragedy and yet something that is a good lesson for me, I need to always be sharing the good things that God does in my life in order to promote greater faithfulness in others. Time and time again I have shared my story with people and have heard them say how that really encouraged them and how they even have a different attitude about difficulties in their lives.
I am amazed at the amount of money and effort churches put into "growth plans" (not to say they are a complete waste of time) and yet all the while every person sitting in the pews is the greatest growth instrument as we encourage Christians to share their testimonies. I guess sometimes I wonder if we cry out to God asking Him to provide stronger faith in ourselves and those around us and all the while he is crying from the heavens; "I could do some great things through you if you would just step aside from control and let me speak through you."

A song I hear all the time says what I pray I can strive for more each day and that is "that as long as I shall live I will testify the love!" This is what the world needs to hear about in order to remind them of how great and how powerful and how loving our God truly is.