Testing

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” (Genesis 22:1-2)

You need to understand something about you and God. You are in the trusting business. God is in the testing business and testing can be a very good thing. Why does God test us? God tests us for two primary reasons. Testing is an opportunity for God prove his faithfulness to us. Testing is an opportunity for us to prove our faithfulness to God. Faith is shown in faithfulness and faith is grown through faithfulness. He not only gives us faith, but he grows our faith by testing our faith.

Take Abraham for example. Abraham is about to do the unthinkable, the unbelievable when God stops him. What is the whole point of this story? This is a test. Now Abraham understood God did not want Isaac; he wanted Abraham. He did not want Abraham’s son, but Abraham’s surrender. He did not want Abraham’s family; he wanted Abraham’s faith demonstrated in faithfulness. Understand, God knew what was in Abraham’s heart, but God wanted Abraham to know what was in his heart.

The proof of your faith in God is your faithfulness to God. If God never fails to do what he will say he will do, we never have to hesitate to be faithful to do what he tells us to do.

So let me give all of us a test question right now. Which do you love more: the ______________God has given to you or the God who has given you the ______________ ? Now fill in there any word there you want to. You could put the word “children,” the word “money,” the word “life,” or the word “success.” Then you have to ask, “Am I willing to go where I need to go no matter what I have to do?”

Dear Lord, I want to be faithful to you and I want to trust you. Please help me to view your tests as opportunities for me to grow in my faith and trust in you. In Jesus’ name, amen.