Previously I was in a test from God, my eye test. I was waking up every morning and the first thing I would do is to check and see if my test was over. My eye would still be red and I was a little disappointed. I then asked God if there was anything I was supposed to be learning? He began to reveal that I just wanted my trial to be over because the test was noticeable, slightly embarrassing.
I just wanted it to be over quickly. God was concerned with me learning what He is trying to teach me, so that I can change and grow with Him. If I am not careful, I can be focusing on the ‘time’ only, is it over yet? Like a small child in a car: Are we there yet? I can miss what God is actually doing and I can delay the fulfillment because I am focused on the wrong thing.
I finally realized I needed to focus on what God is trying to show me. My desire should be to remain IN my trial until my test is over, until God is finished, until I am changed for the BETTER. Do you ever feel like you are taking the same test over and over again? Just like any good teacher, God will allow you to take, retake, and RETAKE a test until you pass, until you get it right.
Christians, have you ever found yourself in a trial or test, maybe it’s physically embarrassing, or difficult to endure. Maybe you are living with your parents, maybe you have a job that’s a real test, maybe your struggles are financial, maybe your car is dated. Maybe it is acne, or a physical ailment, but you KNOW it’s from God. You have prayed, obeyed, and it has not gone away, so you KNOW it’s a test. As hard as it is, EMBRACE it. The more public our test or trial, the quicker we want it to end. Yet the more we focus on it ending, the longer it can endure.
Do not focus on it ending, focus on YOU changing, seek God out, ask Him what He is trying to show you through this test. He loves you and doesn’t let you stay the way you are, so just realize that God has a unique way of showing love. He would gladly sacrifice a little of our PRIDE for a lot of our OBEDIENCE. He is not concerned about time, He knows just how long, how much you can handle and He won’t stop until you reach the point He needs you to be.
It sounds ironic, but James admonishes us to “consider it pure joy” when we face tests and trials of many kinds. He further states it is because it’s testing our faith, and developing perseverance. God wants us to be overcomers, and the best way to get us to be overcomers, is to give us something to OVERCOME. What God really desires is for us to fully rely on Him. He gets us there by putting us in situations where all we can do is rely on Him, His word, His character, His promises, His love.
I pray that no matter where you are, no matter what you are going through, that God makes this revelation true to you, the same way He did for me. I pray that as you face tests and trials, your view of them is forever changed. Instead of asking how long, ask what next? What do I need to change or learn next? I pray for wisdom and revelation about tests and trials, because it is not a matter of IF we face them, but WHEN. If we can get our focus on changes needed, it revolutionizes the testing process.
Remember the weird kids in school? The ones that were “joyful” about going to school, to learn, to take tests? They were most likely your valedictorians, the 4.0 students, dean’s list candidates. They understood that if you put in the effort, if you learn, you can pass, you can ace the tests, you can get the perfect scores, and you could even have joy about a test, because you know all the answers. I pray we all become the ‘weird kids’ for God’s tests and trials. I pray we ace all the tests, I pray that our lives would be worthy of God hanging them on His fridge, to show how proud He is of our lives, in Jesus name, Amen.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:2-5 (NIV)
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:17-19 (NIV)
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him.” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise for He has been good to me. Psalm 13 (NIV)
And they OVERCAME (the enemy) because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their TESTIMONY, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. Revelation 12:11 (NASB) (emphasis added)
written and posted by Daniel Poggensee | 2020
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