Genesis 22:1-14, James 1: 1-4

When Abraham is tested, he didn’t know what was going to happen but all he knew was that God had a plan for him. He had been without any child all his life but he didn’t turn to worship other gods. He remained steadfast in his believe that God can turn things around. Job was tested with the most severe testing but he remained steadfast in the Lord. He was unmoved in his faith. He had his focus in the Lord no matter the things he was going through.

When we have the above two examples in the Bible; what comes in our mind? Are we swallowed by worry and anxiety and just disappear only to reappear when things normalize? Testing is like the exams we do so as to test our intellect and our understanding of things.  If we take testing and trials and compare it with the many exams we have sat for, then we cannot be moved when we encounter them in life. As a Christian, we should not take trials to mean like God is unjust or that He has forsaken us. We should remember just like Abraham that it’s our faith that in trials and hence God’s indulgence and invite him in any situation we find ourselves in, knowing that no situation is permanent and that we are not to be consumed by the trials for God cannot let us walk alone. He has promised to be with us till the end of age.

So, when being tested, we should consider a few things to do so as to remain steadfast in our faith and trust in God.

1. Count it all Joy that we are being tested. James 1:2 and 3. This is because we are sure that this will produce steadfastness in us. That energy and strength in us that could not be seen to be working is released and we therefore do things in a manner that is not obvious in the sight of unbelieving community.
2. There is a crown of life laid for us James 1:12. The enemy would not want just let us go without putting a fight.  Trials are meant to distract us and start focusing on the situation we are in. Hebrews 12;2 calls us to focus our attention our strength and energy to Christ the author and perfector of our faith. There is a reward for those who will remain faithful to the end.
3. Trials grows our hope Romans 5: 2-5. These trials produce endurance which in turn produces character. Our character speaks of who we are more than we say. Our faith should match our action for the Bible says that faith without works is dead. This character is very important in the life of a Christian.
4. We suffer because in us there is glory. 1 Peter 1: 13-16. There is in us what is not in other people. Yes, we are in this world but we are not of this same world. what has been deposited in us is so glorious that the enemy would fight to erode that glory from us. So, when we suffer it’s because we have something that the world does not have and it’s so precious. We are to look at trials an attempt to erode and defile us. We should therefore be positive minded.
5. We should always remember that trials are be a reminder that we should trust in God. It should be a reminder that we should decrease in the Lord even as the Lord increases in us. All we need is God’s grace in the midst of trials and sufferings. 2 Corinthians 12:9. God will always raise a standard for us that we may always be victors.

We are Gods children and as a Father, He is always watching over us just as he did with Daniel, He will always be with us. Just as He was with the three Jews young men Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego even in the furnace of fire, He will be with us. 

Abraham was tested but at the end he proved himself faithful and obedience to God. We have an opportunity to show that we believe in God and that we are faithful even to the grave.

God bless us all.