How To React To Testimonies - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) May 19, 2026

Have you ever heard or read someone's testimony about what God did for them and felt your stomach sour?  Maybe there was a little jealousy as you realized what you'd been waiting for God to do was taking longer than expected. In that case, your reaction had nothing to do with the person or even what they are sharing. Or could it be that hearing what God did for someone brought up negative emotions and thoughts about the Lord and the person who shared what He did for them?

Such things can happen because of a deep desire to see God help you, too. And still, I want to encourage anyone who has had this experience to guard against it because if such feelings fester, they can create a barrier to our prayers. Any discontentment or impatience should be controlled. Another person's testimony should spur us to keep praying and trusting the Lord for the fulfilment of our prayers. Negative feelings shouldn't be allowed to become a well from which anger, backsliding, doubt, and hatred for God and people spring forth.

Instead, we are to delight in what God does for others and be encouraged that the appointed time approaches for us. We are told in Psalm 20:5 - May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests. The Bible makes it clear that rejoicing when others are blessed is to be the norm in Psalm 35:27 - May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant."

Scripture repeatedly compels us to be the sort who are joyful for others. And it is not just an Old Testament command because it is repeated in Romans 12:15 - Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Those who don't are considered unwise and wicked. Yes, there are times when the realities of life are such a heavy cloud that it's hard to feel joyous, but this is why God calls His children to trade their anxieties for His peace. He wants them to come boldly to His throne to receive grace in times of need (Hebrews 4:16).

It isn't always easy, but when we make it a practice to spend time in the Lord's presence, we will be refreshed in our spirit and can set aside our fears and troubles to give thanks on behalf of others. And as we do so, God sees this as a sacrifice we have made to honor His word in the way we respond to the good news shared by others. He cannot close His eyes to this obedience, especially when we are enduring struggles of our own.

Having a heart of joy for others pleases God. It is selfish and thus ungodly to expect others to rejoice with us without genuinely being happy for them when things work out. We may think it's fine only to have such joy after God answers our requests, but He asks His own to praise and be thankful even before He answers them. And we are to do this because Christianity requires the practical application of faith. Faith is certainty about what we can't yet see all because we have a faithful God who can do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine.

Regarding how we react to testimonies, there is a caveat. If we know a testimony is false, then we are under no obligation to cheer for a liar. Sadly, some will claim God did something, knowing that is untrue. Whatever their reason, they ignore the example of Sapphira and Ananias, who tried to deceive the Spirit of God. That such a liar didn't pass away as the Biblical illustrations speak to God's grace and mercy. It shows that He is patiently granting them time to repent for agreeing with the father of lies - satan.

And if you are wondering how anyone could know whether someone was lying about their testimony, the answer is simple. The Holy Spirit is the only way anybody would know that a testimony was a lie, except where there is concrete proof of the deception. It was the Holy Spirit who revealed the lies of Sapphira and Ananias, and till this day, He continues to reveal what many think is secret. However, unless we know for certain that a testimony is untrue, we simply need to glorify God for what He did and rejoice with the person He blessed.

The Lord God will help us to react appropriately when His hand rests favorably on someone else. I pray that we will be filled with joy, not frustration or any other emotion that could hamper our petitions and our walk with our Heavenly Father. He will grant us grace to rejoice with others, honoring Him for what He's done, while being expectant of what He will do for us and our prayer subjects, IJN, Amen. It is well.

As you wait for fellowship at 12 Noon EST, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages:

1. God's Grace & Mercy

2. Believe First

3. Don't Turn From God

4. Take Jesus At His Word

5. Are You Bitter?

6. Don't Backslide

7. Who Enjoys God's Mercy?

8. Don't Let Sin Rule You

9. The Spirit of Jealousy

10. Topic: Happiness, Joy & Contentment

11. Topic: The Hand of God

12. Topic: Patience

13. Topic: Praise

14. Topic: Prayers & Petitions

15. Topic: Testimony, Testify, Be God's Witness

16. Topic: Thanks