A GOD WHO TESTS HIS CHILDREN

A God Who Tests His Children

Verse for Today: Psalms 66:10

“For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined“.

God’s children who have personal encounter with Him know very well that they are tested by God on various occasions. His goal in testing His children is to refine them in their character, faith and commitment to God. He wants His children to become godly in their quality as God’s children with godly attributes, behavior and motives. Only those who pass the tests will be given increasingly greater responsibilities and positions in their ministries. He tests their spiritual growth and strength. He checks to see if they are growing in faith and so He measures them through the tests that He allowed them to pass through. It’s through these tests that God teaches them new lessons in life. It was through the test on Mount Moriah that God taught Abraham to learn that God in His nature is “Jehovah-Jireh, My Provider” (Genesis 22:14).

It’s through the experience of tests that God renewed His promises to Abraham (Genesis 22:16-18). There was no need for God to renew His promises because He doesn’t change His promises. But God tested Abraham and found out His trust and faith in Him. At that point, God assured him which was a great act of renewal and reassurance. 

Tests were opportunities for God to give His servant Abraham newer spiritual responsibilities in His spiritual economy. For Abraham was to become the focal point of blessings for all the people of the world. The test Abraham endured on Mount Moriah was intended to make him spiritually qualified to be the source of great blessings on the whole earth (Genesis 22:18).

We must realize that God’s tests are often painful to go through. There will be pressures of various kinds as we go through the tests. One can only imagine and envisage the kind of pain, tension, stress, challenge and pressure that one goes through during tests. It’s these pressures that make us jewels in our spiritual life.

Tests come at unusual times, especially when things go well in our spiritual lives. Tests come when we are close to God and enjoying close spiritual fellowship (Genesis 19:27). It is seen from the lives of God’s servants on the pages of the Bible and Church history that more tests and more frequent tests come when we are more spiritually grown and matured in our faith. We also see that as days go by, toughness of tests increases and we must expect it as a usual pattern with God. In other words, we should not expect tests to be any simpler as we grow stronger in faith.

We must realize that those who are not serious about Christian life and faith may not get many tests at all. Only the zealous and passionate believers are the ones who are tested by the Lord to measure the extent of their faith. In other words, those who are not earnest in following the faith encounter divine tests whereas the drop-outs, Sunday-only-Christians and backbenchers often get very few tests, if at all any. But for the zealous Christians, when we least expect it, tests come so that our genuineness of faith can be measured by God.

Christians should also understand that usually no warning, signs or notices are issued by the Lord to allow His children to go through tests. He expects all zealous and stalwarts to be prepared to take tests of faith at any time. It’s God who fixes schedules for tests at His will and pleasure. He doesn’t consult His children to fix schedules.    

            But God reassures His children that there is no need for us to be afraid of God’s tests. These tests are in no way to hurt us or terrorize us, but to build us up. Tests reveal true measure of our faith and the level of our faith. There is a divine purpose behind each test to build us up. So we must praise God for the tests and commit ourselves to go through and come out victorious for the glory of God.

Exodus 20:20a – “And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you…”

Thought for Today

We should praise God for each test He allows in our lives because tests produce patience and spiritual growth in us.

Prayer for Today

“O Lord! We pray for Your strength to go through the tests You allow in our lives today to help us to trust in You and to grow in our faith. Amen!”