Tests Will Come

Sometimes we may think we have the Lord all figured out; we walk with Him and talk with Him, and sometimes we hear from Him and we get so excited.  At times we feel like we are on the mountaintop because everything is going great.  It seems like our prayers are being answered and He is blessing our socks off, so to speak.  We may think we are so special and the Lord loves us more than anyone in the world.  These are times when it seems like the Lord is blessing our ministries and He is so close to us that we can hardly contain ourselves.  These can be times when we think we have the Lord pretty much figured out and we are pretty content.  

But then something takes place that seems to be so contrary to what has been going on, and we don’t quite know how to handle it.  It may be something devastating that we didn’t cause, or something we did cause to take place, and all of a sudden the Lord seems so distant and our prayers aren’t being answered, at least the way we want them to, and we feel far less effective than we once were.  Our ministries seem to be suffering also, and as time goes on we have choices to make; we can get frustrated, angry and give up and give into our emotions, or we can stand on the truth of God’s Word and wait for the breakthrough.  I think we all have to understand that we will all be tested in some way or other.

Job was tested and he didn’t understand what was taking place, it wasn’t anything he had done.  Job was a faithful man who honored God, then out of nowhere he was blindsided, so to speak, losing most of what he had.  Even his wife turned against him, saying this in Job 2:9, “Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!’”

Job had choices also, he could have become angry and cursed God, but he didn’t, he could have given up totally, but he chose not to.  Did he have a struggle?  Yes.  Did he understand what was happening?  No.  Did he suffer? Yes.  Was he confused?  Sure.  Could he have given into his emotions and the flesh and flew of the handle, uncontrollably?  Of course, he could have done all of these, but he chose not to.  Job stayed faithful and he was victorious.  God blessed him and there was a breakthrough and Job learned that God is always faithful.  If he cursed God and gave up, the outcome would have been much different than it was.  

There were many people tested in the Word; Abraham, Joseph, the Israelites were tested in the wilderness and even Jesus was tested.  I think all believers will be tested at times and this is how we should respond; read James 1:2-4, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”   It all comes down to how we respond to trials, not if we will have them.  We go through trials for our own good, to help us be more like the Lord.  We all have choices.  

My prayer is that you, and I, will never give up, but that we will be overcomers.  I have given you something to think about!  May God bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!