One day I was helping Bryson study for an upcoming test at school.
Bryson has always excelled tests; therefore, I had concluded, at least in my own mind, that tests were a breeze for him.
The day I was helping him we were casually talking after we studied. I said ‘Bryson, do tests make you nervous?’ His answer surprised me because he does so well on tests. He said ‘yes, they make me really nervous.’ He said, ‘the one last week made me very nervous, but I stopped and prayed and then I got it right.’
I said, ‘why do they make you nervous, you do so well at tests?’ He said, ‘because Mrs. Nikki says if we fail it we have to do the entire book over again and then retake the test.’ Bless his little heart; he doesn’t realize how many he would have to miss to fail the test. Neither does he know that he has never come close to failing a test.
I began to think about this over the weekend. I was thinking about how he would have to redo the entire book and redo the test again.
I also began to think about how it is with tests and trials spiritually speaking. We don’t like to talk about them, but we all go through them. It is a truth that your faith will be tested in different areas, especially in the areas you have determined to overcome in, you can rest assured that your faith with me tested in these areas.
Hebrews 11:17 in the Message Bible says; ‘By faith, Abraham, at the time of testing, offered Isaac back to God. Acting in faith, he was as ready to return the promised son, his only son, as he had been to receive him.’
James 1:3 says; ‘knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.’
I Peter 1:7 says; ‘that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.’
It’s a truth, our faith will certainly be tested. Even Jesus was tested. Matthew 4:1 says; ‘Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil.’
But here is the thing with the tests God allows to come our way. We don’t take the tests until we learn to endure them. We take the tests until we pass them with flying colors.
What do I mean? I mean if a spiritual test comes our way and we fail it, no worries, it will come our way again and again and again until we pass and move on to the next level.
If we are tested in our faith in finances and fail, that test will come again. Until we pass.
If we are tested in our love walk, that test will keep coming our way until we pass it. And so, it goes with every test that comes our way. God means for us to pass these tests. He has given us all the answers, we only must read the Book and we will pass. We only must walk as Jesus walked and we will pass.
Nobody likes tests, I certainly never have. But this one thing I have learned; I may as well embrace the process because the Bible tells me the tests are coming, I may as well prepare for them and determine in my heart that I am going to pass the first time. Sometimes I do, sometimes I take them over and over. Either way, God is faithful and will not leave me the way I am. He is determined to take me to the highest levels possible and I am determined to go with him. How about you?
Don’t despise the tests, don’t despise the process, embrace it. God has given you all you need to pass and pass you will, why? Because the greater One lives inside of you and He won’t let you go until you do.
Prayer for today: Father, I thank you for the process, I worship you in the process and I will walk in your ways and your word and pass each test, in Jesus name. I will go from glory to glory in You, in Jesus name. Amen.
