Driving a car is second nature to me now. And it likely is for you as well if you’ve been driving for more than a year or two. But do you remember the jitters you had on testing day?
When I first started learning to drive, there were so many details to remember and so much risk and danger on the road around me. I felt a little overwhelmed, like, I’m never going to get this! But I did. And now, it’s no big deal at all.
The Bible tells us that our faith grows in much the same way. We come to believe in Jesus. We try trusting him, but it’s hard at first until we get the hang of it. And then, times of testing come. James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote about this…
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.
~ James 1:2-3 NIV
They key to walking through testing is to understand God’s intention behind it. God doesn’t test you to fail you. He doesn’t tempt you with sin or trap you in situations where it’s impossible to do the righteous thing because he wants to condemn or disqualify you.
Rather, God “tests” your faith with a view toward growing your faith. He leads you to the limit, allowing various circumstances in your life that require your faith to grow so that, on the other side of the testing, you’re stronger than ever.
As I write this, people are being tested. We’re isolated while enduring economic hardship and trying to stay safe during a global pandemic. It isn’t that God sent a disease for the purpose of hurting us. Rather it’s that God will use the circumstances created by this disease to give us an opportunity to step up and believe in him.
And when we do believe in him and follow his lead no matter the cost, we grow. Our faith gets bigger and bolder and better every time.
Ready to grow? Get ready to be tested.
