Monday, January 16, 2012

HELP IN TESTS!!

Help in tests!

Verse for Today: Monday, January 16, 2012

1 Corinthians 10:13b – And God is faithful; He will not let you be tested beyond what you can bear. But when you are tested, He will also provide a way out so that you will be able to endure it.

Faithfulness is a fundamental character of God which is reflected in all that He does. Even when we fail Him, God will not fail us, but will show His character of faithfulness in taking us forward in our sojourn in compassion and grace. He forgives us when we confess and repent of our sins and shortcomings. He measures our level of faith and the extent of our growth in faith by allowing us to go through certain experiences called tests. He watches us keenly to see how we handle these situations. These tests are opportunities for us to learn about God’s faithfulness and how we cope with the challenges in life during these tests. Sometimes tests look like temptations because tests pose us with an opportunity to make a choice of glorifying God or fulfilling our selfish desires. God always expects us to make choices according to His will and on the basis of our faith in Him to carry us forward. Some tests are beyond our existing capacity to handle and so He gives us special strength to go through it. Daniel was given the strength to stay overnight with a bunch of hungry lions. God was faithful in allowing him to go through this test without wavering. But then it was Daniel’s responsibility to trust God’s faithfulness to give him the capacity to endure it. The Hebrew youth who were thrown in the fiery furnace of Nebuchadnezzar experienced the grace and faithfulness of God to endure it and come out victorious. But tests pose risks and dangers because sometimes the grace given to us as we go through the tests would be to be losers in the sight of the world. But it then becomes an opportunity for us to be ready to give up all that we are and have for the Lord out of our love for Him.

Dear reader, are you going through some severe tests of faith in you walk with the Lord? These tests are not to trouble you or weaken you, but opportunities to evaluate the level of your faith and to see how much you are growing in faith. God gives us grace to go through tests and endure the experience no matter how bitter these are. When we come out of these tests victoriously, God prepares us for more intense tests to qualify us for greater spiritual blessings in our lives. But He wants us to go through these tests only on the basis of His grace and strength and not on our human capacity. David had to go through several tests before He qualified to become king. Joseph had to go through severe tests before his dreams were accomplished. Moses had tests galore as he led the people of Israel to Canaan. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob also were confronted with tests of various kinds as they were prepared to pioneer a nation for God. During the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus, He took His disciples through a series of tests including storms, waves, lack of food, lack of money to pay tax, confronting demons, handling sickness, deprivation of sleep and rest, facing angry mob, criticisms of religious fanatics, temptation to forsake the Lord, running away from Him when He was arrested and unbelief in His resurrection. Through it all, the Lord built them up in faith to enable them to build strong foundation for His church. He gives the ability to endure the pain and anguish of the tests and takes us through it to learn great lessons in following Him and living for His glory. He will not let us go through it all alone, but will come with us and take us through it by His hands. No matter what tests you are going through today, your Lord is with you to strengthen your life and testimony for Him.

Hebrews 2:18 –
For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

Thought for Today

As we go through the tests of faith, the Lord gives us His strength to handle it gracefully and learn lessons to go further in our Christian life.


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