Trials

March 30, 2023 Give Thanks

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Psalm 7:9 God Tests Hearts And Minds

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just; for the righteous God tests the hearts and minds. Psalm 7:9

It is common for people to have to take various types of tests throughout their lifetimes. Testing begins in school and never completely comes to an end. Most often tests are taken to know how much a person knows about some given subject or ability to do some type of task. These can be done for work or for personal needs. Outside of medical reasons, most do not think about having a test for their heart or mind.

David asks God to bring the wicked to an end and to establish the just, because God tests the hearts and minds.

Although people must take tests on a fairly regular basis, most do not like to take them. People fear failing the tests and do not want to look bad.

One type of test that people often overlook is the test that God gives concerning the heart and mind. Allowing trials and troubles to arise in the life of a believer is the most common way for God to test one’s heart and mind. The purpose of these challenges in one’s life is to see where the heart and mind are focused.

The world has a heart and mind focused on self and the here and now, not God and His kingdom, nor eternity. Believers need to be focused on what God desires first in their lives.

During a time of a testing, it will be determined who or what the believer will run to first. It will also be determined how the believer will react to the situation–whether one will get angry and sin or praise God, trusting Him in the situation.

God will have times in which He will allow a time of testing in your life. There will be difficulties that will arise to see where you stand with God and His commands.

Do not allow yourself to fall into the ways of the world of selfishness and sin, but give God praise and lean upon Him for strength and direction through the testing. Keep your heart and mind focused on who God is, what God is doing and what God can do, rather than what you can do or what the enemy can do. Pass this test with flying colors.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will trust God with all of your heart and mind; that you will pass all the tests God gives you; and that you have a heart and mind after God’s heart and mind.

Picture by Ronaldo de Oliveira under Unsplash

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Job 7:17-18 Why Is There A Testing?

What is man, that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart on him, that You should visit him every morning, and test him every moment? Job 7:17-18

Since the beginning of time, people have always contemplated their purpose of living on this earth when they did. Volumes of books have been written to talk about purpose and the meaning of life. Then alongside those contemplations, people also think about the purpose of all the trouble that occurs in their life. This occurs especially when people realize how small they are compared to the entire world or the universe.

Job asks God what is man that He should exalt him, focus on him and visit him to test him every day.

People often struggle with their purpose and then have even more struggle when they go through a very difficult struggle in life. It hits people even harder when they see a loved one die in an unexpected, horrible death. Many will then wonder why God would want anything to do with them.

Believers begin to have some understanding of the love of God when they begin to believe in Jesus and follow God. Yet, they must also go through extreme difficult situations. Some will realize that those struggles are just times of testing. However, they begin to wonder why God will test them on a daily basis.

Struggles and testing are set to build a person up, to make them stronger. Unless a person goes through a tough time and then sees how God works in and through that time, one cannot begin to understand the promises of God or His abilities.

Faith in God is built up during the times of testing and it is God’s love that works to build that faith up through testing.

There may have been many times in which you wonder what your purpose is or why God would pay any attention to you. This probably increases when things are going rough for you and anything and everything that could go wrong does.

Take a moment to realize that God is love and so that is what He does–loves. He cares about you more than anything and wants only what is best for you–to build you up in your faith in Him. God will visit you regularly to test you and build your faith to make you more like Jesus every day.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know God’s love for you; that you will trust God’s times of testing; that you will grow more like Jesus; and that you will live for God in every area of your life.

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Judges 3:4 Left For Testing

They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses. Judges 3:4

Everyone goes through times of struggles, times where it appears as if everyone and everything is against them. It can be painful and confusing as one does not always understand why things are the way they are.

Very few can see the larger picture of what is going on, just as children do not always understand the reason for a test in the classroom. Struggles are often times of testing to see how one will react.

God left several nations among the Israelites to test them, to see if they will obey the commands He had given them through Moses.

Testing someone is always done for the purpose to find out what the person knows or how one will do react to something. Most people get anxious when they know they are going to be tested. They fear that they did not study enough or the right things to be ready for the test. If they did not know the test was coming, it causes anxiety in not knowing if they are ready for it or not.

Without being tested, one can never know if he has learned anything or not, or grown or not.

Believers can know that they will be tested by God. In this they can trust that God knows what He is doing, so they can prepare to be ready to obey His commands in every situation, good or bad.

No matter what the situation is God has already given instruction on how to react to it. People have a choice to react in the ways of the world, or to react according to God’s commands, obeying him.

God will allow people or situations in your life to test you, to find out if you have learned to obey Him or not. Do not see times of trials and testing just as something horrible and worthless, but a time of growing and learning.

Going through the difficult time will reveal to you if you are trusting and obeying God or not. It will reveal areas you may need to grow in and other areas you are mature in.

In order to pass a test, you must go through the test. Keep your focus upon God and obeying His word and you will pass the test.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know God’s peace and direction in times of testing; that you will obey God in every situation in your life; that you will know what God desires of you; and that you will pass every test God sends your way.