Life is full of challenges and problems to overcome. We encounter things almost daily which test our patience, our intellect, our abilities and our faith. But that doesn’t mean that it is God who is testing us. life alone can do that; in addition to the tests which God brings into our lives.
As all of us know, tests are a normal part of schooling. That’s how we need to see these tests as well; part of the schooling of life. The tests we suffered through in school were to prove that we had learned our lessons. Each was intended to help us in the learning process, whether that is through teaching us a lesson or showing us what we did and didn’t know. That sounds an awful lot like life’s tests. But can the same be said for the tests that God sends our way?
God doesn’t need to test us so that He can learn what we know. He already knows everything, including just how well we are going to do on the test. But that doesn’t mean that everyone knows. There are others who need to see how we react to that test. We must accept in faith that each is going to bring about something important in our lives.
The good news is that there is a long history of God testing people. Many of the most important people in the Bible passed through some of the hardest tests. So, if we find ourselves being tested by God, we can know that He has something important going on in our lives.
God Tested Abraham
One of the best-known cases of God testing someone in the Bible is when God tested Abraham. This was a very key event in Old Testament history, one that was more important than most people realize.
In the 22nd chapter of Genesis, God commanded Abraham to offer his son, Isaac, on the altar, as a burnt offering. This sounds shocking to us today and it probably would have been in that time as well. Although burnt sacrifices were common, they used animals for those offerings. While some religions of the day apparently encouraged offering children as sacrifices, God never did. The Bible makes it clear that sacrificing your children as an offering to God is wrong and God never changes.
Then He (God) said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. – Genesis 22:2-3
A couple of things I need to mention out of these verses. First of all, Abraham had another son. His name was Ishmael. But in the previous chapter, Ishmael and his mother were sent out of the camp. They didn’t have telephones or the internet back then, so they couldn’t keep in touch. That meant that as far as Abraham knew, Isaac was his only son at that time. The second thing we need to see is that even though Isaac was his only son and he loved Isaac; Abraham didn’t waste any time to obey God. He got up the next morning, made preparations and took off to go offer his son on the altar. It took him three days to get there, but he didn’t waste any time heading off to obey God.
Okay, so what is this test all about? Since we know that God already knew what Abraham was going to do, was it about showing that to Abraham? That’s one possibility, as well as showing us a true example of faith. But I think there’s even something more important here; God was showing Satan what Abraham would do. God needed Abraham to offer his son Isaac on the altar, even though God stopped Abraham from actually killing Isaac.
And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “here I am.” 12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” 13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. – Genesis 22:10-13
As I said a moment ago, this was one of the most important events in Old Testament history. God had entered into covenant with Abraham back in chapter 15, reaffirming it in chapter 17. One of the key things about covenant is the idea that “What’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine.” We don’t really operate that way today, but they did back in biblical times. Abraham, living in those times, would have understood his covenant with God that way. So, when God told Abraham to offer Isaac on the altar, he felt he had to obey.
There’s a saying in law to not put a witness on the stand or ask them a question unless you know how they are going to answer. Since God knows everything, He already knew how Abraham was going to react. That was all planned. God had been looking for a man with enough faith to obey Him, no matter what. Because Abraham had obeyed God like that, God was obligated to offer His Son, Jesus, on the altar of the cross for Abraham and his sons. Satan couldn’t complain about it being “unfair” because God was merely fulfilling covenant law and giving to Abraham as Abraham had given to Him.
Not All Tests are Like This One
Not all tests that God gives us are as critical to world history as the one He gave Abraham. There is only a need for one Savior, Jesus. But while our own tests may not be as important to world history as this one was, this one gives us a good idea of what those tests are all about.
If God used that test to prove to Satan that Abraham was a faithful covenant partner, opening the door for God to send His Only Son to die for our sins; then can’t we say that God uses our own tests to show who we are and our faithfulness to Him? Could it be that He is not only proving to us who we are through those tests, but proving our faith and faithfulness to Himself, so that Satan knows it? Can’t God then use that to bless us, without Satan’s interference?
Looking at the way that God used His testing of Abraham to bring about blessing, while keeping Satan out of the way, it seems apparent that His purpose in testing us is to bring about blessing in our lives. Granted, the tests that he brings to people today probably won’t have the history-changing impact that His testing of Abraham did, they can have that sort of impact on our own personal lives.
We must remember that God’s ultimate goal in our lives, after salvation, is to remake us into the image of Christ. The greatest blessings that He brings to us aren’t about giving us riches, possessions or fame; but about making us more Christ-like. So, while the blessings may not be obvious to our eyes, they are obvious to His.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. – Romans 8:29
How to Know When You’re Being Tested
Literally anything in our lives can end up being a test; both good things and bad. While the bad things may seem to be obvious tests, receiving an unexpected cash windfall can be an even bigger test. It is easy to realize our need to turn to God when things are going bad, but when things go good, it is just as easy, if not easier, to turn our backs on Him. That’s why Jesus said:
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. – Mark 10:25 (also Matthew 19:24 and Luke 18:25)
When any test comes, it’s hard to tell if it has come from God or not. However, it is safe to say that even if God didn’t initiate the test, He will take advantage of it, using it and turning it to our benefit, so that we might learn from it.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. – Romans 8:28
So, just what are some of the tests that we might encounter in our lives? It would be impossible to list them all, but here are a few of the more common ones:
- Patience – There are always things that require our patience, something that is in short supply here in this world. The joke of “God give me patience, and I need it RIGHT NOW!” is just that, a joke. God teaches us patience by allowing us to go through situations where we need it. As we do, the idea is that our patience grows. If it doesn’t, we didn’t pass that test.
- Family Problems – While family problems are commonplace, they are also a great place to see what is inside an individual’s heart. We are more likely to respond honestly to family members than anyone else. While we might hold back with bosses and especially co-workers, we’ll let our ugly side come out at home, where it is “safe.”
- Work Related Stress – How we handle the stresses of life, especially those at work, is a great test of our ability to depend on God. We might say that we have faith and understand God’s grace, but when push comes to shove, do we lean on it in that moment? Just to be clear, pretending everything is fine at work and just stuffing the stress down inside us, to come out later, isn’t handling it as God would want us to.
- Financial Struggles – Almost everyone deals with financial problems, so don’t feel like you’re all alone when it happens. The question is, what do you do when faced with those financial problems? Do you turn to God in faith, looking for Him to give you an answer or do you try to solve it yourself? Just asking God for more money isn’t turning to Him in faith; sometimes, we need Him to show us how to change our financial strategy. We can start that by making sure that we are tithing.
- Failure – Failure is a part of life. We all fall down at times. The big question is whether we get back up, once we’ve fallen down or just stay there? Interestingly enough, the average entrepreneur fails four times, before they have their first successful business. God will show us how to succeed, if we let Him.
- Depression and Hopelessness – When tragedy strikes, it’s common for depression and hopelessness to follow in its wake. But that isn’t a requirement. Many great men and women of God have faced tragedy in some very critical times in their ministries. The way they overcame was to get closer to God, allowing His presence to heal them and make it possible for them to go on.
- Illness and Injury – This is another great test of our faith. While modern medicine can do a lot of things, God is the expert healer. We are often much better off going to God in prayer, asking Him to take care of our problem, even if we also go to the doctor.
- Heartbreak – We humans are experts at hurting each other’s hearts; or as we usually call it, “breaking each other’s hearts.” Somehow, we all end up experiencing it at one time or another, usually from the person we would least expect to receive it. Some never recover from that; but recovery is possible in Christ. This is one of those times when we absolutely need to draw closer to Him, basking in His presence, where He can heal us.
- Blessing – As I mentioned a moment ago, receiving a blessing can be one of the hardest tests to overcome. How do we handle that test? Do we claim that it is all our own doing or do we give God the glory? Do we spend that sudden windfall on ourselves or do we seek how God would have us use it? True growth isn’t just in what we avoid doing, but what we do as well.
Once again, these can be naturally occurring events in our lives, without God’s intervention to cause them. Even so, God can and will use them for His purpose of remaking us into the image of Christ. How we handle them and whether we turn to God in the midst of these tests will show a lot about who we are and how much we’ve grown in Christ.
Remember, God is testing us not just to show us who we are, but also to show Satan who we are. There may very well be things that God wants to do in our lives and blessings He wants to give us; but before He can, He needs to prove to Satan that it won’t do any good to try and take that blessing away from us. So, we can block our own blessing by failing the test. Of course, if we fail the test, it will come around again. Hopefully, we’ll do better next time.
What to Do When in a Test
Any spiritual test, regardless of the type, is all about how we react to the test. Ideally, God the Father would like us to react just as Jesus would. But He is gracious and understands that we aren’t there yet. Even so, He expects us to become more and more like Christ, as we mature in our walk with Christ. With that being the case, how we react to the test is of supreme importance.
There are a number of different things we should do, when faced with these tests and trials. We usually won’t recognize them for what they are immediately; but whenever we do, it’s time to put these steps into effect. Other than the first one, there really is no need to do them in a particular order; and not all of them will apply in all situations. As with anything else in our spiritual life, we need to be led by the Holy Spirit if we want to succeed.
- Stop – Whatever is going on, just put on the brakes, stop and take a moment to realize what is going on. Take a moment to disconnect from the problem, allowing time to analyze what is happening and why it is happening. Don’t look at what others may be doing wrong; but rather, look at where you might have done something wrong and what God may be trying to teach you. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and understanding of the situation.
- Pray – Prayer is our number one tool for dealing with any situation. If we assume that whatever we are going through is an opportunity for God to teach us something and/or work something out in our lives, then we need to become an active participant in what He is doing. That can only happen as we gain understanding and choose to submit ourselves to the process that God is taking us through. True wisdom only comes from Him.
- Gather Prayer Support – Anytime that any of us are going through something, we need to be able to count on the support of other believers in the Body of Christ. This doesn’t just mean anyone though; it is much more effective to call upon those who have a reputation as prayer warriors. Let them know enough of the situation so that they can pray and allow them to provide that support.
- Fast – Sometimes, the Holy Spirit will direct us to fast when going through a test. That isn’t because fasting will change what God is doing; but rather, because it changes us. When we fast, we become more spiritually focused, instead of fleshly focused. That makes it much easier to see what God is trying to show us.
- Praise & Worship – Both praise and worship are powerful tools in the hands of the believer. First, let’s clarify the difference. Praise is a declaration about God and it helps us get into His presence. Worship is talking to God and is expressing our love to Him, once we are in His presence. They perform different spiritual functions. Praise is a weapon of our warfare. As such, it stops the devil in his tracks. Worship connects us to God and can therefore be used to heal our hearts.
- Self-Care – There is a need to take care of oneself during these times as well; not to the point where we ignore the problem, but to the point where we have strength to go on. Sometimes, we can be sucked dry by dealing with whatever test we are in, so that we lose the strength and motivation to keep fighting. Those are dangerous times. Praise and worship will help us deal with them, but so will taking a break and setting the problems aside for a moment. Just don’t overdo it.
Regardless of how things look, we must face these tests and trials in faith. God is the answer to our every problem. If there is nothing else we learn by going through the problem, we should always learn to depend on God in faith.
Can We Test God?
This question may almost seem blasphemous, but in the light of this discussion, it only makes sense that we would ask it. If God tests us, is there anywhere in the Bible where it says that we can test Him?
Believe it or not, there is. There’s only one such place, but it does exist. We can find it in the last book of the Old Testament, written by the Prophet Malachi. It is a test of God’s faithfulness in our financial needs, something that should interest everyone.
“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try (or test)1 me in this,” says the Lord of hosts. “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing there will not be room enough to receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” says the Lord of hosts. – Malachi 3:8-11
While this is worded as a test of God, it seems more to be a test of us and our faith. Will we trust God enough to put Him to the test and see if He will complete what He promises in these verses? Our only way of putting God to the test is to test our own faith, by stepping out and doing what is specified there, being faithful in both our tithes and offerings.
Some have tried to say that tithing is not a New Testament concept, so that “test” doesn’t apply to us today. In doing so, they show that they don’t know what Jesus said about it.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. – Matthew 23:23 (also Luke 11:42)
Since the Old Testament commandment on tithing refers to tithing on the increase, what we would call profits, it appears from this verse that the Pharisees were tithing on herbs grown in their own gardens. That’s a pretty demanding interpretation of the idea of tithing on the increase. Jesus didn’t rebuke them for that, He rebuked them for ignoring justice, mercy and faith. But in that, He also said that they should not ignore tithing on the herbs from their gardens. Apparently, Jesus is in agreement with tithing.
With that being the case, this Old Testament test of God is one that we can apply in New Testament times as well. We can test God’s faithfulness, testing ourselves at the same time.
If we stop and think about it for a moment, any time we ask God for anything, we are putting Him to the test. At the same time, we are putting our faith to the test. Do we have enough faith to truly trust God for that thing we are asking for? Or, are we merely mouthing a pro-forma prayer, before heading off to solve the problem ourselves? If all we’re doing is a pro-forma prayer, there is no faith included in it and we may as well not bother. God is only moved to answer our prayers, when they are prayed in faith.
But without faith, it is impossible to please Him (Father God)1, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. – Hebrews 11:6
That verse definitely makes it look like going to God for anything is a test of our faith. So, we’d better make sure we’re operating in faith, and not just mental assent or offering up pro-forma prayers, before going to God for anything.
Life is clearly a test.