“And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” (Helaman 5:12) 

Every day we walk around them. They are a small part of a grand story. 

Testimonies, just like rocks, are all around us. 

God created Earth, and with it comes endless metaphors of God’s grace and mercy. 

Like rocks, we use testimonies for protection, to build spiritual houses of refuge. 

Like rocks, testimonies form in various ways. In many cases, they form when natural elements are compressed together through heat and pressure. They form over a long period of time. Others may form from a process that begins with an explosion. Regardless of the how, it is a process, and each process has its purpose.

Our first week, we examined what a lively stone is. Do you remember? It is a stone that’s had its rough surface smoothed out. A testimony may begin with rough surfaces. Just think of how we all started: living after our own purpose and ways, in retrospect, going nowhere. Yet, we received the opportunity to smooth our pride, plans, and sins when a Rock was struck and living water began to flow from it (remember week four?). 

From that moment, we were made smooth, and our rough patches no longer remembered.

Although the process is not always easy, it creates a beautiful sound (Psalms 96:1-4). Have you ever found joy listening to what God can do through people’s lives? Whether in a testimony service at church or around a dinner table, hearing God’s works is a refreshing sound … just like listening to the sound of a stream as it flows its course over stones. 

There are times, though, when we face obstacles. Sometimes they can be small. Other times, they can monumentally derail us. We all react in our own way. There is one thing that we can hold to … we have a stone. We can confront a battle with the same understanding that David possessed, facing obstacles in the name of the Lord of Hosts. 

Those who have been baptized and begun this smoothing process have a foundation that is stronger than anything in this world. As Helaman says in 5:12, if you build on this foundation, the storm has no power to drag you down. 

This is the purpose of our stones. What we choose to do with them is what makes a difference in this world. Let’s go in the Name of the Lord of Hosts, with grace and mercy, and share the water of life available for those who are thirsty.

Questions to think on:

• How has your testimony formed? How have all of your life events intertwined with each other?
• What is it like to have your rough surfaces smoothed out?
• How do you use your stone (testimony) on a daily basis?
• What is your favorite testimony? What is one thing that God has done for you that you reflect on the most? (While you’re thinking about it, why not send it for Miracle Monday?)

Editor’s Note: We want to thank Brother Ben for being our guest columnist this month! If you enjoyed his Stone Series, please leave a comment here! 

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.