Creating a testimony that will not crumble.

I was speaking to a friend about someone I was worried for. There was hope in her voice as she asked me a question.” Does she believe in God?” I thought about my response for a moment because I knew she DID believe in God, but WHY hadn’t that knowledge brought me much comfort?

“She does believe in God, the problem is, she doesn’t know Him. She doesn’t realize what He can do for her.”

There is a HUGE difference in believing vs. knowing. I’ve been thinking about where I am at on the path of belief and knowledge.

Is He someone I’ve only heard of?

Have I only seen Him from afar?

Do I briefly glance at Him as I pass Him in the hall?

Do we talk once a year, month, week, day, hour, minute?

Is He an acquaintance, friend, close friend, best friend?

How can we get to know God better?

I remember the exact moment I decided to start a journey to get to know God better. 

I was around nine years old.  I was laying down on our big blue sectional and staring up trying to see what images I could find hidden the bumpy plaster that had been scraped on to the ceiling.  It was just like trying to find shapes in the clouds except every now and then a spider would crawl across my make believe moments.   I started contemplating some deep thoughts. No, it wasn’t whether my new pink jelly shoes would go with my outfit, or what I should eat for lunch. I’m talking deep stuff.  Mysteries of the universe deep.  

I was thinking what it might be like in heaven. Was it in outer space? Was it on a fluffy cloud?  If Mary Poppins could sit on a cloud I bet God could. What would it be like to meet Heavenly Father and Jesus?  What would they be like? As I wondered a thought that made me panic came to my mind. My mom walked by right at that moment so I stopped her.

“Mom, what if none of it is true!?!?  What if there is no God?  What if everything we believe is wrong? There are so many different religions. What if we have it all wrong and someone else has it all right?”

My mom was very chill and a bit of a free spirit. Maybe a result of her hippie roots. Things didn’t ruffle her much and I love how much freedom she gave us to discover who we were.  She gave me the perfect answer even though it wasn’t what I wanted. 

“Amber, I can tell you I believe it is true, but in the end it is something you have to know for yourself though the Spirit. There are some things I don’t even know. What is true is something you will have to patiently search for.”

It bothered me because I wanted to know with 100% surety! Not long after I was in Sunday school when the teacher quoted a scripture.

“For in those days there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

Matthew 24:24

“They shall deceive the very elect.”  I didn’t consider myself elect, I was somewhat elect at best, so if even the very elect could be deceived then I was in HUGE trouble!  I thought of my recent questioning if God even existed, and a strong desire suddenly pierced me.  I made a decision in that very moment that I remember in perfect clarity.  “It WON’T be me.”

I’ve never forgotten that decision though there have been moments I’ve wondered if I’d be able to see it through.  I wish it was as easy as saying, “It won’t be me,” but there is a lot more to it than the saying.  There’ve been times when I’ve had to clear my head and decide to proceed with whatever pathetic determination I could muster.  There’ve been times I’ve realized that if I let my testimony rest it wouldn’t survive. 

The question has always been in the back of my mind. “What do I need to do now to make sure I will be unshakable?”  I’m constantly searching for cracks that need to be filled and different ways to fill those cracks. And, goodness, sometimes it feels like I’m finding a crack everyday!  I guess that’s ok if it gives me the motivation keep working on my fortress of faith.

Yeah, I just said fortress of faith. I’m not even in to sci-fi/fantasy and I still visualize myself as this Zena warrior chick with head to toe armor AND building a big fortress around me.

If the fortress is going to be strong its foundation can only be made of ONE thing; a rock solid relationship with God. Every stone after that is more likely to hold strong, but if something does crumble I know I can go back to the foundation and He will help me re-build the stone.

The first time I had a stone of my testimony crumble I panicked. My husband helped me see that just because one stone crumbles doesn’t mean the whole fortress has to fall down, especially if my foundation is right.  Just because there is a piece of our testimonies that needs help doesn’t mean we don’t have a testimony.  God can help us figure out what made that stone crumble and rebuild it so it was stronger than before.   I’m gettin’ ahead of myself though.

What about that foundation?  How do we create a testimony of, a relationship with God that won’t crumble?  How do we go beyond believing in God to KNOWING God.  No matter the Christian denomination, that’s what matters. 

The neat thing is that the pattern is right in the scriptures, shocker! We don’t have to guess what might bring us closer. We can find it right in John 7-10 where many people were on the same path we are now on. Those that came across Jesus when He lived had a decision to make and He gave them every opportunity to see clearly.  Did they believe He was God’s son or was He just a quack?  Some said, He is a good man: others said; Nay but he deceiveth the people.  John 7:12. Did they want to know Him better and follow Him or would it be easier to turn away and pretend they never saw what they saw, hear what they heard?  He that is of God heareth God’s words. John 8:47

We have a decision to make as well, sometimes every day.  If we want to know God and create an unshakable testimony in Him we can!  Decide now and take action. Here are 6 ideas found in John 7-10 (KJV) to get started.

1. Be healed. 

 If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

John 8:24 & 26

Nothing seals our heart to His like experiencing His healing power whether it be from sin or from hurt that was no fault of our own.   Just ask Mary Magdalene “which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities.”  She was with Christ at the cross, at His burial, at the tomb the day of His resurrection and was the first Jesus appeared to. 

As we turn to the Lord for forgiveness or healing of the smallest of things we will see more healing than we ever thought possible. 

2. Do His Will.

 If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

John 7:17

This can be a hard one because our very next question will be, “Ok, what is His will for me!?”  We can always start with what was written in stone, literally.  The 10 commandments are the Lord’s will and as we try harder to obey we will be better able to hear the voice of the Spirit guiding us in what to do. 

3. Call on His power. 

If this man were not of God he could do nothing.

John 9:33

We hear and read of the miracles of Christ. We know of His power but do we call on His power?    Do you know the power you speak when you pray “In the Name of Jesus Christ.”  What do you need help with?  Start where your faith is and the Lord will meet you there. Ask Him to show you what you can humbly, faithfully ask for that He will gladly give.  Remember the times you have felt His power in your life and never forget!

4. Treasure His word.

If you continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.

John 8:31

How do we take a set of scriptures with a bunch of words, some we don’t even understand, and turn them into a treasure?  The scriptures will become a treasure to you when the words in them become an answer to a prayer. They will become a treasure to you when they motivate you to an action that changes who you are.  The only way this can happen is if we go to the scriptures with a question. A question whose answer will require action is even better. 

Just try it out. Ask a question, trust, open the scriptures, and don’t leave them until you find an answer.  

5. Acknowledge Him 

After the blind man was healed Jesus asked,

Dost thou believe on the Son of God? And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped Him.

John 9:35-38

Not all that witnessed miracles became disciples. We are given opportunities every day to “believe on the Son of God,” show gratitude for, and recognize His hand in all things.  A prayer of gratitude goes a long way.

6. Feel His love and walk in His light every single day.

I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 8:12

Just as a good parent tells their child that they love them every single day, the Lord will tell you He loves you EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.  It is already there, all you have to do is ask to see it. It may come in words, in a feeling, in a tender mercy, in a scripture, in a song, in one of His creations, in a service to someone else.  However it comes, His love is there. He is telling you He loves you every day and perhaps in this very moment. 

What will you do today to know God and strengthen the foundation of your testimony so you will not be “deceived?”

I don’t know that there will ever be a day when I can look at my testimony and say the fortress is complete. There will always be maintenance and we will always have to be aware of the something ready and waiting to completely tear the fortress down.  

A perfect example is a man named Sherem…

“And he labored diligently that he might lead away the hearts of the people, insomuch that he did lead away many hearts; and he knowing that I, Jacob, had faith in Christ who should come, he sought much opportunity that he might come unto me. And he was learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the language of the people; wherefore, he could use much flattery, and much power of speech, according to the power of the devil.”

Jacob 7:3-4 Book of Mormon

But will we be able to reply as Jacob did…

And he had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken.

Jacob 7:5 Book of Mormon

We have no way to know what may come; all we can do is build a fortress even when it seems all is well and there is no reason to put forth the effort. If we wait to build the fortress while under attack it may not be strong enough to stay standing.   Are we willing to take on whatever task, whatever trial it takes to say, “I can not be shaken!” 

Be healed.

Do His will.

Call on His power.

Treasure His word.

Acknowledge Him.

Feel His love. 

If this was helpful to you, thank you for sharing it!