There’s something beautiful about sharing our testimony. It’s often raw, reflective, and redemptive. When we tell our story of coming to faith, we’re opening a window into how God met us, changed us, and continues to shape us. But too often, we frame it like we’re the lead character. The one who figured it out, made the decision, and took the leap.

And while it’s true that we made a choice to follow Jesus, the deeper truth is this: the story started way before that. Salvation doesn’t begin with our choice. It begins with a Savior.

We brought the need. But God brought the rescue.

And in that divine moment where lostness meets grace, it’s God’s pursuit that shines.

Testimonies Are Not Self-Portraits

We tend to emphasize the dramatic moment—the addiction broken, the pain healed, the prayer whispered. Those are real and powerful moments, but they’re not the starting line. Before we ever realized we needed saving, God was already making a way. He was already coming after us.

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them.” – John 6:44

That one verse flips the script. It’s not our searching that saves us, but God’s drawing.

The reality is this: if we were left to our own sin, we wouldn’t look for God. We’d stay stuck. Self-salvation is a myth. The good news? Our rescue never depended on our awareness—it was initiated by a God who moves first.

God Set the Scene Before You Knew You Were in It

Acts 8 gives us a vivid picture of this. Philip is told by an angel to head south on a desert road. He goes, not knowing why. Meanwhile, an Ethiopian eunuch is traveling and reading from the prophet Isaiah, confused and searching for understanding. They weren’t looking for each other. But God orchestrated their meeting.

This wasn’t coincidence. It was a divine setup.

Philip didn’t decide to start a random outreach mission. God told him exactly where to go. The eunuch wasn’t even sure what he was reading. But God used the moment to bring light and life. It was salvation on God’s terms, at God’s timing, through God’s orchestration.

How many of us can look back and realize that something similar happened in our lives? A conversation, a song, a crisis, a question—it all seemed random until we realized it was divine. God had been moving all along.

Salvation Isn’t About Us. It’s About Jesus.

Romans 8:29–30 gives us a breathtaking view of how salvation works from God’s perspective:

“Those God foreknew, He also predestined… He called, justified, and glorified.”

That’s the full process—from before time began to the moment we see Jesus face to face. It’s not just theological. It’s deeply personal. It means God had His heart set on you long before you said yes to Him.

And here’s the purpose behind it all: that Jesus would be glorified.

“So that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” (Romans 8:29)

In other words, our salvation isn’t just for our benefit. It’s to lift up Jesus. He is the centerpiece, the goal, the glory of it all. We are brought in—not because we earned it or figured it out—but because God wanted to honor His Son through your rescue story.

That “Well Done” Isn’t About You Either

There’s a future moment every Christian looks forward to. That moment when Jesus says, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” It’s going to be overwhelming. And maybe even a little confusing.

Because if we’re honest, we’ll probably wonder, “How can He say that to me?”

We know ourselves. We know our inconsistencies. Our failures. Our selfish motives. But here’s the truth: He’s not congratulating our effort. He’s affirming His work in us.

All of Christ’s righteous deeds are credited to our account. That’s the only reason Jesus can say “Well done” to people like you and me.

“It is not our hold on Christ that saves us; it is Christ.” – Charles Spurgeon

That well done isn’t a pat on the back for pulling it together. It’s a celebration of the grace that held us together.

The More God Gets the Glory, the More We Get the Joy

This re-centering changes everything. If we believe salvation is primarily about us, then the focus will always be on our performance. Are we doing enough? Are we spiritual enough? Did we make the right choice?

But when we realize that salvation is about God’s glory, it frees us. We don’t have to measure up. We don’t have to play the part. We simply reflect the grace we’ve received.

That’s why Paul writes in Ephesians 1:4-5 that we were chosen before the foundation of the world “according to the pleasure of His will.” Not our desperation. Not our effort. God had a plan to glorify His Son—and saving us was part of that plan.

And you know what? That plan is stunning.

It means that your story—your mess, your mistakes, your questions—was always going to be used to point to Jesus.

We’re Not the Main Characters. We’re the Living Proof

The beauty of the Gospel is that God takes our brokenness and turns it into evidence. Our testimonies are not spotlights on our own wisdom or willpower. They’re beams of light that point to the Savior who moved first.

Even the desire to pray, to repent, to worship—that came from Him.

You didn’t wake up one day and suddenly become spiritually enlightened. The Holy Spirit was drawing you, nudging you, calling you. You just said yes to what He already started.

And when we understand that, it humbles us. It anchors us. It reorients our focus.

Now, instead of trying to look good for God, we start looking for ways to give God glory.

“Lord, get glory from this.”

In our victories, we say it. In our struggles, we whisper it. In our everyday moments, we seek it.

That’s how you know your heart is being shaped by grace. You stop chasing the spotlight. You start chasing the glory of the One who saved you.

The Real Hero of Your Testimony

Maybe you’ve given yourself too much credit in your salvation story. Maybe your faith journey has become more about your effort than His grace.

It’s time to shift the focus back where it belongs. Ask yourself this: Have I made my salvation story about God’s glory or my goodness?

It’s a hard question. But it’s the kind of question that transforms us. It reminds us that we didn’t start this story. We were invited into it.

And when we understand that, we live differently. We speak differently. We pray differently.

We stop performing. We start praising. We stop worrying. We start trusting.

Because when you do, everything else starts to make sense.