One frequent observation I get from people when they first meet me is that I am very calm and laid back and that I bring a sense of peace into the atmosphere. That is such a compliment! But I can’t take the credit for it because my peaceful demeanor completely falls apart when put to the test in long commutes and traffic jams. I often tell people, “I’m a Point A to Point B driver.”…none of that meandering along and viewing the sites when I’m behind the wheel. No Sir, I want to get from where I am to where I’m going as quickly as possible; patient and calm I am not…LOL. One minute it’s, “God, thank you for keeping me safe.” The next minute it’s “You Idiot! GRRRRRR!!!” Blessing and cursing out of the same mouth. I know, I know…it shouldn’t be. But I’ve fallen prey to it more times than I care to admit. Thankfully because of the grace of GOD, I’m much better these days because I’ve learned to address the situation immediately by confessing my sin and asking for God’s forgiveness. And since I know at some point I’ll have to repeat the test, I seek tutoring from the Holy Spirit to help prepare me for the next time I have to take it. There are times I do well and I think I’ve finally conquered this particular issue in my life and then I find myself being tested again and before I realize it…BAM!!! “Epic Fail” as my friends would say.
Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted for 40 days and when it was over He had passed the test. But take note that the scripture says at the end of the testing that the enemy went away until he could find a more opportune time to take another shot at testing Jesus. (Luke 4:13,CEV-(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4&version=CEV.) Sometimes we get the same type of test (long commutes and traffic jams were mine) but the intensity level of that test increases. Then there are other times we face a different test. (Side note: THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A TEST). Jesus knew the Word and spoke the Word often when tested by the enemy and He prevailed EVERY time. WAIT! So I’m sitting here thinking to myself, “Hmmm…If Jesus being the Word in flesh had to know the Word and speak the Word to overcome His tests what makes me think I can pass the enemy’s tests without knowing the Word and speaking the Word?” Sure enough as I reflect on some of the times I started my day by reading the Word or my Daily Devotion and praying and putting God first I aced some tests. But at other times when I rushed out the house and sped into the day without the Word I had some “Epic Fails” on my tests. All I can say to this is “OUCH.” But it doesn’t stop there.
Often we say our tests and trials only come to make us strong. Even in the Bible, the book of James, Chapter 1, tells us to count it all joy when we fall into various tests and trials because when we come through them we will be complete and lacking nothing (James 1:2, NIV-https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1&version=NIV). All of these tests are often preparing us for an ultimate test that requires a major self-sacrifice and tests our obedience to GOD. Abraham’s ultimate test was a willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac. The Three Hebrew Boy’s ultimate test was to bow down to a King or face death in a fiery furnace. And then there was Jesus…Sweet Jesus. His ultimate test was to give up His life and to die an ignominious death on the cross at Calvary in order to reconcile a broken relationship between God and humanity. I don’t think we’ll ever truly understand or comprehend the magnitude of THAT test…but I’m forever grateful that He passed it!
So what’s your test? The one that really challenges you and you’ve had to take it over and over. Are you making progress? If you’ve passed your test…what lead to your success?
THE TEST
