No matter how old you are, I'm sure we all can recall what it was like to take a test in school. For some that may have been just a few days ago, and for others (including myself), that may have been many years ago. But I would guess that we all can remember that feeling of being testing. Hoping you are prepared, and hoping you pass. Now, take all of that and imagine that when the test was done, the teacher just took all the tests from everyone and threw them away. Wouldn't you hate that. To have gone through the mental preparation, the stress, and the application of what you've learned, just to have it go for nothing. If you did good on that test you might be more upset then you would be if you didn't do so good. But no matter what, you would hate the fact that you just had to go through a test for nothing.
Each and every person that walks the face of this earth are going to go through tests. And by tests, I don't mean temptations, but trials and tests. You might ask, does God test us? I believe so. I believe God will put us into situations (or allow us to face them) where we have choices to make. Those choices can either reflect Him in us, or they can show us the areas of our heart and soul that need more of Him. And the reason I mentioned the teacher throwing away the test in the opening of this blog is because what a shame it would be to go through a test and not even get what God wanted us to get out of it. But sadly enough it happens every single day. As humans we have this tendency of taking pride it getting through something on our own. Even the saying "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps" was created because we think it is better to say we did it on our own. In fact, I looked up the true meaning of that phrase and this is what is said..."This impossible task is supposed to exemplify the achievement in getting out of a difficult situation by one's own efforts". The funny thing about that definition is that it even says "the impossible task". When tests and trials come our way we should see it as impossible to get through it on our own. The very fact that the trial is in front of you may be there to humble you to say, "I can't do this alone God". He wants us to need Him, but I think even more than that, He wants us the KNOW we NEED Him. So when we face something, no matter how simple or difficult it is, God is there with His hand out saying, "will you take it?". The pessimist would say, "see, He is just setting us up to fail if we don't take it", but I love that argument because I always counter it with, "is it His fault or yours if you didn't take the help He offered you?".
God is a good God, and one of the things that makes Him so good is that He sent His Son to die for us, then gave us free will to love Him back or not. And in tests and trials He gives us free will to turn to Him or not. And we all know the truth, if we got ourselves in something, then out of shame we tend to turn to Him less. But if the situation came at us through a hardship or a situation out of our control, then we will tend to cry out to Him for help. This is the mindset we must get past. God is ALWAYS there, and He sent the Holy Spirit to help us....to help us before, during and after the test. See those situations we got ourselves into, He was there trying to show a way out before we got into it. Those situations we find ourselves in the middle of, He is there to guide us through it. And those situations that happen to us that may require healing afterwards, well He is there to help us heal. There isn't a time when He is absent, but there are plenty of times when we just don't look for Him. And that really is the whole point of anything we go through, to help us learn to lean on, trust and praise Him.
Trials and tests will always be a part of life. One might be as simple as an opportunity to help someone, and God just wants to see if you will, and another might be much larger and require much more faith and trust. But in both He is there wanting to stretch you, grow you, or get you to see the areas you need to work on with Him. He does not allow us to go through things to see if we will fail....EVER.....He allows us to go through things to see if our hearts are really His.
Today, no matter how big or small the thing you face is, don't let it all be for nothing in the end. Give it to God, allow Him to stretch you, grow you, and yes, even teach you as you go through it. I promise that in the end, what He can produce in you will be much better than anything you can do on your own. And then, when others see you giving Him the glory, the test was not just for you, but others will benefit from it too.
God, it sounds crazy to say these words, but thank You for the trials, tests and even hardships that You have helped me through. Without them, I would not be who you have made me today. Holy Spirit please help people see God's hand offering help to them as they go through things. Please destroy the pride within us as humans, and help us to humble ourselves and look to YOU for the help we NEED. And then help us to glorify You during and after the tests we face. In Jesus name, Amen
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