6 questions to help you share your God story
I have found though it’s pretty easy to talk about someone we love, it’s sometimes hard to talk about our relationship with God. Maybe that’s why one of my favorite questions to ask around the table is …
What’s your God story?
It’s another way of asking someone to explain their ‘testimony’ of how they came to know God or where they are in process with Him.
Recently, a dear daughter was talking to me about this very struggle in sharing her testimony. She told me she needed to know how to share her God story in a small group setting and she didn’t know where to start. So I told her that I’d write some prompts for her so that she could more easily share her story of how she met God and where she in in relationship with Him.
As I was writing this out for her, I realized maybe you’d like using these questions to sort out your story with God. So I thought I’d share both the questions and my answers as a way to help you see how even short answers can uncover a compelling God story.
- Describe your first impression of God. How old were you? Where were you? What happened in that place?
My first impression of God was at University Christian Church. I was about five years old. I remember Dr. Howland’s big, deep, calming voice in the sanctuary as he preached the sermons. I remember beautiful stained glass windows. And mostly, I remember Mr. Jackson handing out M&M’s to the children after church on the patio.
- Who or what helped you understand the person of Jesus Christ? Describe the situation.
When I was twelve years old, a college kid and Young Life leader named Kenny told me the story of Jesus in a clear way that was easy to understand. When he described that kind of Jesus to me, I fell in love with God. I embraced a relationship with Him through a simple prayer. And then I started reading the Bible and trying to live my life in line with the love I felt.
- What happened next in your life that validated or discredited the new relationship you had with God?
When I was fourteen years old, I witnessed a murder in my school classroom. It turned my whole world upside down. I felt like God abandoned me.
- Think of a time you had difficulty believing or trusting God. What did that look like for you?
In the months and years following the murder, I loved God but I didn’t trust Him. Our relationship became very murky because I wasn’t sure God had “good things” for me as promised in the Bible. I worked hard at protecting myself from bad things because I didn’t know if God would protect me. I developed a ton of bad habits because I worried all the time. It became so significant that I had a fear stronghold on my life. I was a mess.
- What was the resolution of that crisis of faith?
God literally rescued me from my fear addiction. He did it in creative and tender and miraculous ways. There are so many layers. But that crisis of faith I had with God is no longer ruling over my life ~ and it’s truly amazing. I went from being a fearful, anxious girl to a person who has joy and a deep trust in God.
- What does your current relationship with God look like?
God and I are good right now. I still struggle with hard things. And sometimes I feel the anxiety trying to climb back into my life and suffocate my joy but because God and I have walked through so much together, I know that He is good even when things don’t make sense. And I know that He has my back. I love God and I know He loves me.
So there you go. Six prompts to help you understand and share your God story.
I suggest writing out answers to the prompts. It will help you ‘see’ your life with God much better. And that in turn will help you share your story with more ease.
The good news is that there’s no right or wrong way to share your God story with other people. And another great thing to remember is that as long as we’re all breathing, God is still writing His story in our lives. There’s so much grace in that, yes?
Much love and peace to you.