Tested Faith
Pastor Josh Slatten
James 1:2-4 says “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.”
God uses trials to develop us spiritually. God wants to make us spiritually mature and complete. Many of the greatest lessons in our relationship with Christ are learned in the darkness. Jesus prayed before he went to the cross in John 17:15 “I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”
Many Christians think that life is supposed to be all sunshine and no clouds. Imagine a football player coming to the sideline and saying, “Coach, I would have scored a touchdown, but every time I tried to make a move someone from the other team wanted to knock me down.” Duh! The guy from the other team is supposed to knock you down. That’s how football is played. It’s the other team’s job to prevent you from being victorious. Facing challenges is inevitable.
Psalm 26:2-3 “Test me, LORD, and try me; examine my heart and mind. For your faithful love guides me, and I live by your truth.” In football, like in our spiritual lives, God gives the test first, and the lesson afterwards. David was tested. Moses was tested. Peter and the disciples were tested. Paul was tested.
Adrian Rogers said, “Faith that cannot be tested, cannot be trusted.” When God wants to test your faith, He is probably not going to do it in the good times. Almost anybody can serve God when the sun is shining.
Our faith is really tested and proven when the clouds are dark. God wants to know where our true allegiance lies. God wants to know are we really devoted to Him and His plan for our lives.