The purpose of trials and tests in our lives

We are all not strangers to trials in our lives. We know from James 1:2-4 that the testing of our faith develops perseverance so that we might be complete. Recently, I've been reflecting over how this truth actually works out. We often think that God's purpose for trials and tests in our lives, is for Himself to judge whether we are serious about Him or just playing the religious game. Sometimes, it is not too difficult for us to imagine God taking notes and giving us a score at the end of the day isn't it?

I have come to realise, that is furthest from the truth. Job 37:16 tells us that God is already perfect in knowledge! He does not need to test us to find out whether we will pass. He already knows it! So why is there still a need for God to test us in our faith? I believe it is God's way of making US aware, the real condition of our own hearts...

I used to think that difficult moments in our lives cause us to grow stronger. The more difficulties we go through, the stronger we become. There is even an age-old saying that goes, "What does not kill you, will only make you stronger". In a sense, that is a half-truth! You see, the immediate effect of the storms of life is not that you become more resilient, but that the foundations of your life are revealed! Who you really are becomes laid bare without all the pretenses and covering up. Imagine a real environmental storm hitting a house by the beach. The roof is torn off, all the nice designer furniture is swept away, the beautiful wallpaper and carpeting is reaped off and blown away! What is left is the basic structure and foundation of the house.

It is not too different when we face difficult situations in our lives where our values and what we stand for are challenged. It is often times like these that we realise we are not as strong as we thought ourselves to be. And it is in this revelation of our inadequacies that God wants to use to draw us back to Him. In revealing the true conditon of our hearts before Him, He is telling us to wake up from our deception and showing us the way out of it - total dependence and reliance on Him and not on our abilities or the things of this world.

In one of these tests of life recently, God showed me something crucial. I was struggling to go for one of my project presentations as I felt very inferior about that the work that I had produced for it. I had already replayed in my mind many times how badly I imagined the presentation would go and I just could not bring myself to make that a reality. I struggled so hard to go that it almost came down to a coin toss. It was then that I remembered a word of encourgagement that a close friend has sent me. The words rang loud in my mind, "Go and do well, God is with you."

At that moment, the Holy Spirit convicted me that if I believed in a God who is all powerful, and whose promise is that if He is with me, who can be against me, then I HAD to live out what I believed in. If I claimed that God did not give me a spirit of timidity but one of power, love and sound mind, then I cannot allow myself to live in fear and defeat! So, by God's grace, I dragged myself to the presentation and trusted God to come through for me.

How the presentation went is another whole story in itself, but I can testify that God DID come through for me! More importantly, He showed me the true condition of my heart - sick and needing of divine revelation. It was a simple lesson, but His revealed truth has taught me to live my life differently today.

If you are facing some difficult moments in your life today, ask the Lord what about your heart He is revealing to you today. Do not be ashamed to witness and accept the true condition of your heart. It is not God's intention to condemn you. That is the lie of the Devil. It is God's very purpose to redeem you. Pray and ask God to help you live our His truths and promises in your life. And then determine in your heart to live it out by His grace. Make the change today.

Joshua Teo