October 11, 2026
Your Christian testimony matters, even if your story does not include addiction, abuse, rebellion, or a dramatic conversion. If you accepted Jesus as a child and grew up in a loving Christian home, you may believe your testimony carries less weight than someone with a more painful story.
It is a common assumption, but it is wrong.
Many people have said to me that they wished they had a “powerful” testimony like mine, but without the regret and pain, they wisely add. The common argument goes something like this:
“I submitted my life to Jesus when I was ten-years-old. I never had to get over alcoholism or drug addiction, and was raised in a loving family free from abuse. Besides some personal struggles, I never had anything major to overcome when it came to my salvation. Therefore, I just don’t have a powerful testimony.”
Listen to this. I heard the testimony of a young man in his 20’s who followed Jesus all of his life. He never wavered. He lived for Jesus as best as he could growing up. He is pursuing ministry today.
This young man gave one of the most powerful testimonies I have ever heard.
Turning your youth over to Jesus instead of squandering it on the world is a more powerful testimony than one like mine.
The world tried to seduce you, entice you into taking a little taste, but you resisted for the sake of the testimony, the legacy you were creating—a life honoring Jesus.
The rest of us took the easy way out. We gave in to the world’s demands and its subtle suggestions. What we suffered, we endured with pride because we created it. We denied Jesus while casually accepting there might be a God because we didn’t have the guts to be utterly hopeless.
Then, out of the mess we made of our lives, Jesus, in His infinite mercy, spoke to our hearts, and we believed. Often, our salvation came only when we arrived at the end of ourselves. We created so much suffering that our bodies and minds couldn’t bear the weight any longer. Jesus met us there.
Looking back at those lost years, where all of our hope came from squeezing as much pleasure out of life as we could, I see only one thing—REGRET.
I long for a youth that was lived for Jesus and the hope He offers the world. Instead, I wasted it on myself. I have scars that still threaten me to this day. What a pity.
Our testimonies also include the moments when we recognize what God has done in our lives and refuse to let doubt rewrite the story.
The young person who has lived, or is living, their life for Jesus will not regret his or her youth. It is the best and most meaningful life to live. You are planting seeds in your acquaintances that you may never see grow, but they are there, resting beneath the surface and waiting for the rotten fertilizer of selfish satisfaction to decompose and allow them to sprout and grow.
Stay strong in your faith and be faithful to your convictions. When you give your testimony, they will come to you and say, “Wow, that was powerful.”
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
Chris Long is a Christian author, songwriter, and speaker dedicated to spreading the Word through music, writing, and faith. He is the author of Guided by Wisdom and the creator of the Every Step Series.
Chris Long is a Christian author, songwriter, and speaker. He writes to encourage faith and spread the Word.
Gold Medal Award Winner — Finding Wisdom for Life in God’s Word.