A couple of weeks back we split into discussion groups in a church meeting during which I told an account of miraculous provision for ministry that God did for me a number of years ago. The response was very interesting. I was asked to repeat it for the whole congregation from the front and afterwards a lot of people said "we have stories of God working for us as well, but we never tell them." I asked why not and the answer was lack of oppotunity and encouragement.

Such accounts are often not meant to remain as purely private encouragements for the individual. When told they might be just for one service or moment, but they produce faith, thankfulness and expectation. I wonder if the reason we don't tell them is that we are afraid of slightly superspiritual people, or because we don't want those with no such stories to feel devalued. If the latter, that is pastorally noble, but incorrect. If they never hear that God works for us, then they will never hunger for him to.