FROM TESTING TO TRUSTING
Job 23:10 “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”
Take time to analyze your heart.
Embrace this opportunity to grow.
Seek to understand and apply the Truth.
Trust Him one day at a time.
Trials
Rouse
Us to
Strengthen our
Trust
My Bible study group has been reading Genesis. When I read about Abraham, it struck me how many times God tested him. Sometimes he aced the test with flying colors, but other times he bombed it. What was the difference? It was trust. When Abraham trusted God, things went according to plan. But, when Abraham took matters into his own hands, things fell apart. It’s understandable why Abraham wasn’t always trusting God in every situation. Trusting the unknown is hard and scary. But God tells us we can trust in Him anyway. (Proverbs 3:5-6, which states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”)This verse shows us the importance of relying on God’s wisdom rather than our own.
Testing often brings out the worst in us to examine and discard. God is pruning us during the test. We fail the test when we give in to our own desires or give up on God. But, when we persevere, we grow stronger in the Truth and our best is preserved. (Job 23:10 “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”) Tests help point us to the Truth when we focus on hope and God’s provision. When we understand and apply the Word to the trial, the test actually becomes a blessing. So how do we do this?
First, take time to analyze your heart. What is God dredging to the surface? In Genesis 12, God tells Abraham to leave his country and his relatives. (Genesis 12:1-2 “Go from your country, and from your relative sand from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; and I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing;) He doesn’t tell Abraham where he is going exactly. But God tells Abraham that He will bless him with a land and make a great nation from him. What is God dredging up in Abraham’s heart? He and Sarah want children, but have not been able to conceive. Perhaps there has been disappointment in God for not having children. God is asking Abraham to leave his relatives and his father’s house. Perhaps God is nudging Abraham to be independent. Whatever the reason for the test, God’s promises stirred Abraham to action. When he arrived at the place God had led him to, Abraham built an altar there to honor God.
Second, embrace this opportunity to grow. Commit to God your body, mind, and spirit. The second test for Abraham was during a famine. When Abraham and Sarah arrived in Egypt, he told Sarah to say she was his sister to protect him from being killed. (It came about, when he was approaching Egypt, that he said to his wife Sarai, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman; and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. Please say that you are my sister so that it may go well for me because of you, and that I may live on account of you.”) Abraham did not talk with God about this, but took matters into his own hands. At first, things went well for Abraham. Pharoah blessed him with flocks and servants. But, Pharoah took Sarah to the palace to be with him. Because of Abraham’s lie, God struck Pharoah and his house with great plagues. When Pharoah discovered the truth about Sarah, he was shocked and angry. He gave Sarah back to Abraham and sent them out of Egypt. Abraham had failed the test. He allowed fear to control his thoughts and actions instead of committing himself wholly to God for protection.
Third, seek to understand and apply the Truth. Find a Bible verse or event that applies to the situation. In keeping with the topic of Abraham, I referred to his story many years ago when we bought a house. It was 30-45 minutes away from my church. My children were starting to get active in the children’s programs and I was in the choir and a women’s group. This meant several days a week traveling there on evenings. I loved my church and had developed many strong friendships through the 12 years there. I don’t like change, so I resisted at first. But, God made it clear that I needed to attend a church closer to home. I had no idea where I was going to end up, but I looked to Abraham for an example of trusting God to lead me. After attending a few churches, I found one that both my kids as well as myself, felt called to. I’ve been attending that church ever since then! Although it was difficult to start over, I’ve made some lifelong friendships that have blessed me and my family. Plus, I’ve continued to keep in touch with several friends from my former church. God knew these friends were dear to me and blessed me as I trusted Him in this decision.
Last, trust Him one day at a time. Give Him all your concerns throughout the day. In Genesis 13, Abraham and his nephew Lot found a place to settle after leaving Egypt. However, because both men had an abundance of livestock, it was difficult to keep the herds apart. This was causing tension among the herdsmen. Abraham took the issue to the Lord who directed them to go to separate areas of the vast land that He had provided. (Genesis 13: 8-9 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are relatives! Is the entire land not before you? Please separate from me; if you choose the left, then I will go to the right; or if you choosethe right, then I will go to the left.”) Rather than living in constant chaos and strife, Abraham consulted God in the matter. This not only resolved the issue, but it kept the relationship between Abraham and Lot in good standing. Afterwards, God reminded Abraham of His promise of giving him many descendants. Abraham had passed the test!
Isn’t it comforting that even though Abraham didn’t always trust God when making decisions, God never forsake him. Learning to trust God is a lifelong process, and He gives us many opportunities to practice! Times of testing are not easy, but they can be rewarding if you stay the course. (Exodus 20:20 Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.) These trials rouse us to strengthen our trust in God. In so doing you will remain solid in your faith as you move from testing to trusting.
Dear Heavenly Father, as we go through times of testing and trials, may we seek You first for wisdom and guidance. Thank You for Your unconditional love for us as You guide us daily in our faith. Amen