Experience God — From Testimony to Encounter

📖 Scripture

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” — Psalm 34:8 (NIV)

💭 Devotional Thoughts

Listening to others share how God showed up in their lives can be deeply inspiring. Testimonies build faith—they remind us that God is real, active, and personal. But there is something even more powerful: experiencing God for yourself. It’s one thing to hear of His faithfulness; it’s another to stand in awe as He provides, heals, or delivers you in your time of need.

Throughout Scripture, we find that people often gave God a name based on how they experienced Him:

Abraham called Him Jehovah Jireh—“The Lord Will Provide” (Genesis 22:14) after God provided a ram in place of his son.

Hagar, mistreated and alone, called Him El Roi—“The God Who Sees Me” (Genesis 16:13) when He found her in the wilderness.

Gideon, full of fear, built an altar to the Lord and called Him Jehovah Shalom—“The Lord is Peace” (Judges 6:24).

These names weren’t theoretical titles. They were born from real, personal, often painful experiences. They knew who God was because they met Him in the middle of their struggles.

You may know God as the One who helped your friend through cancer, or the One who provided for your neighbor’s family in hard times. But God desires more than secondhand knowledge. He wants you to experience Him—to “taste and see” His goodness for yourself.

🔍 Practical Reflection

What’s your story with God? Where have you seen His fingerprints in your life?

Maybe He came through when the bills were due, and you had no idea how they’d be paid. Maybe He gave you peace in a season of chaos, or healed you when doctors had no answers. These are not just moments to remember—they are altars to build. They become the foundation of your personal testimony and a part of how you know God.

Your experience of God adds depth to your faith. It turns head knowledge into heart conviction. And as you walk with Him, you will find that His character remains true—even if the ways He reveals Himself change.

✅ Closing Thoughts

It’s a beautiful thing to rejoice over others’ testimonies. But don’t stop there. Ask God to reveal Himself to you in your own circumstances. He may not move in the same way, but He will move in your way. In your life, He might be Jehovah Rapha (The Lord Who Heals), Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner), or simply Abba Father—your loving, constant presence. Let your own experience shape how you know and name God.

🙏 Prayer

Father, I thank You for the testimonies of others—they lift my faith and show me what’s possible. But I long to know You for myself. Reveal Yourself in my life. Let me taste and see Your goodness in real, undeniable ways. Be my Provider, my Healer, my Peace—whatever I need You to be. Help me to trust You even when I don’t see the whole picture. I want to know You not just in theory, but in truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.