“I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord” (Psalm 104: 33-34).

Recently, I met an amazing young man who was at a crossroads. His sense of direction was being momentarily thwarted and it was restricting his ability to move forward. During our conversation I said to him, “My friend, you need purpose in your life. The kind of purpose that comes from surrendering your life to Christ Jesus. When you find this kind of motivational purpose it will cause you to find your passion in life, followed by success.” I then gave him Philippians 4:13 to ponder; “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I shared with him when I was in high school and into my early adulthood, I didn’t have purpose, nor did I have passion or motivation to pull me out of my mire. Not knowing Jesus, I lingered in my distress with heaviness and failing academically in high school resulted in very low self-esteem…my soul was disheartened. This, along with other rebellious troubles in my life, eventually got me kicked out of high school my senior year. The month was April…I remember it quite well:

Life turned hard as my heart waxed cold. I walked away from those I loved – a void penetrated my heart – I couldn’t find the answers I was looking for as I fallaciously submerged my thoughts into eastern religion to find God.

I shared my testimony with this young man and as our conversation was ending I said, “It was Christ Jesus who gave me my purpose and motivation I never knew I had. You are so far ahead of where I was at your age. You know Christ – I didn’t; you’re a good student – I couldn’t achieve in my youth; you have the ability to finish high school and go off to the college of your choice – I was frustrated with school and kicked out! What prevents you from fanning the flame of Christ back in your spirit so you once again realize your purpose in Christ? You can break every chain that holds you down – power is yours in knowing Him – you’ll receive a new passion and motivation that will lead you to success in Christ.”

As we talked strategy, I saw his eyes brighten up. Before leaving me, he thanked me and said, “I know now what I have to do. I need to listen to my dad, get back to Christ, do my best in my classes, and start looking ahead,” and off he went with an efficacious spirit in Christ.

Solving life’s difficulties isn’t always that easy, but sometimes just giving a person a good word of encouragement and some worthy advice goes a long way. I know I’ll meet this young man again, one day soon.

So, what is it that pulls you down? What clutches may darkness have on you? What massive life obstacle confronts you or a loved one this very moment? What secret sin holds you back from worshipping and giving praise to the King of glory? Cannot Christ come to your aid and release you as you give allegiance to His wonderful presence (Psalm 6)?

Oh, I too, have known deep sadness in my life, the pain of depression, the pain of suffering, the loss of loved ones, the darkness that hovers over one’s mind and stifles our every move to do better, the power of drugs upon my life as a youth that kept me in bondage for over a decade. Christ laid a deep sense of gratitude within my soul to save souls even as Christ saved mine. Yes, even with such unstable times growing up, a passion grew within me unlike any I had ever experienced. Love was rekindled within me that compelled me to desire to know Christ and to yearn for heaven’s gates at the end of this journey. The sting and power of sin that wouldn’t let go of me became the very cry of my soul to Jesus who only could release me. He gave me motivational purpose that I was able to draw from deep within as His Holy Spirit convicted, transformed and filled me with a new desire to tell others of His great love.

Let us not fall into the trap of falsely thinking that just because we are saved now or have been a Christian our whole life that we don’t have a powerful testimony. When we start to believe that lie from the enemy we start to ask ourselves, how can I lead others to know God? Listen, friends, in my years of ministry I have found that everyone and ANYONE who has come to Christ has a powerful testimony regardless of your age and regardless of your past and how “bad” it was. It’s not about our past that impacts a person’s life when we tell them about Christ; rather, it’s the saving blood of Christ and who we have become that changes and impacts a person’s life.

It’s God’s Holy Spirit acting upon that individual’s heart. What the Lord desires for us to do is live our lives all out for Him and to tell others of our personal Lord we’ve met! One doesn’t need to come out of a drug-filled background, or out of a tragedy, or a failed marriage, or an atheistic belief system, or a depressed mind, or any other “sinful” life you can imagine. Although that may be the case for many, what I want to say next, I pray, will come as an encouragement to those who have known Jesus, it appears, all their life, and who have questioned the power of their testimony.

A life that has known Christ from a young age and has remained faithful to Him throughout the years has just as powerful a testimony, filled with relevance and validity, as the one who has been raised out from the pits of darkness.

Really? Even mine?

Absolutely! Every soul who’s ever encountered Christ has a story to tell and each story is equally as powerful in testimony. The pendulum swings both ways…you can counsel, advise, and lead individuals to Christ out of your experiences just as I can do out of mine. God uses both of our testimonies with sanctifying power. God forbid we have to jump into darkness to have a testimony that sounds and appears powerful!

I know I write a lot about His wondrous hand upon my life, but I can’t do any other. I’ve come to understand King David’s crying out to the Lord. He sought heavenly forgiveness for his crimes and sin that befell him even during his time of knowing God his redeemer (Psalm 51:1-4). How is it that I so often cast aside the joy of my salvation to enjoy sin for a season? In such moments I realize all the Lord has given me. As I cry out with shame that leads to repentance, His Spirit reminds me of His great love (Psalm 103:11-12).

On this life’s journey strengthen me, Lord, to honor you so I may be used of you to the fullest. Let me not squander my days here on this earth. Cause me to fulfill what you have for me to do each day…each moment I breathe may I tell of your wonders you have performed (Psalm 143:8-12). Cause me to tell others of your great love.

Do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord. (2 Timothy 1:8).