Tried and True Faith
“No test or temptation that comes your way
is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember
is that God will never let you down; He'll never let you be pushed past your
limit; He'll always be there to help you come through it.” 1 Corinthians 10:25
(Message)
In his book, Just In Case I Can’t Be There, Ron Mehl
writes:
“Whenever you find
yourself going through times of testing, there is always a reason…a very good
reason. In fact, there are several
reasons. Let me mention a clever use of
three words I’ve learned that has helped me remember the value of testing
times. Testing times are to:
When God allows pressures and trials, it is so that you might uncover
something in your life that He wants to deal with. Hardships reveal areas of weakness and
vulnerability. God wants to strengthen
us in those very areas, and better equip us, not only to stand strong in the
storms ourselves, but also to be a shelter for others.
Recover
Something
God allows us to be tested so that we might recover something we’ve
lost over the months and years.
Perhaps it is our delight in the Word of God, a habit of daily prayer,
or the delight of regular fellowship with other believers. Trials may force us back to that “first love”
walk with the Lord that has slipped away from us.
Discover
Something
Even though it’s a test you may not like or enjoy, you discover that
He’s your God, you’re His child and that He loves you. He’ll care for you and see you through. I hear people talk about this trial in their marriage
(or in their job or in their finances or in their relationships at home). But in reality, those aren’t the things being
tested at all. What’s being tested is
our faith. What’s being tried is our
trust in God, whether we will really trust Him to work in and through our
circumstances.
That’s what’s really
at stake. When the challenges come…when
the shadows fall…when disappointment rips through my heart…are you going to
trust Him to do the impossible? Are
you going to wait on Him, worship Him, and give my anxieties to Him? Or are you going to turn away from Him in
your doubt and discouragement?
The real value of our faith being tried is not to see how
we’ll respond in a given situation, as much as it is to see how God will
respond. We get to stand and watch what
He’s going to do, in His own way and in His own time.”
As you have been tested and refined, may you always remember
that whatever lies ahead, God is looking to increase His imprint on your life.
Terry Risser
Reflections:
1) Which
of the three areas has He most recently worked in your life?
2) What
impossible situation are you trusting Him to handle?
Consider reading the Word today:
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