Testing

Art use permission by Amanda Geisinger

 

 

Coming off of another rough year of uncertainty, cuts and threats and even verbal abuse in mine and my husband’s work situations, it has been a learning and growing process for us spiritually.

In the midst of what sometimes seemed like silence from the LORD, it was our seeking for Him that He desired.  I recently saw an image that read, “The teacher is usually quiet during a test.” Had He instantly rushed to our aid we would have thought less of Him being the one that provides it.  We wouldn’t have asked for His help, nor would we have seen our own weaknesses.  We wouldn’t have learned to come to Him in all things and trust in Him in these ways of challenges.  Also, we wouldn’t have seen our own weaknesses of where we were untrusting, afraid and the poor behavior in those things.   

Hardships bring about strengthening if we decide to hold to faith.  We are never left on our own; God doesn’t leave us. Test times in the Bible often show up in the number forty.  Forty years of wandering in the desert and then the Promised Land.  But, they still had some overcoming to do to gain that.  It rained forty days and forty nights before it stopped and the waters began to recede.  Four hundred years in exile was a forty times ten.

Jesus was tempted in the desert for forty days.   Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  That verse blew my mind the first time I read it.  He was purposely led by the Spirit to be tempted.  Tested.  It made some of my temptations and tests take on a divine purpose.  As exhausting and difficult as they were and are, they help me to become stronger and equipped.  Like I said, God also doesn’t leave us. Matthew  4:11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Exhausted by the testing and fasting, Jesus endured as one in our own human weaknesses, angels came to Him when it was over to strengthen Him and attend to Him.  Then Jesus began His ministry.  He had withstood the temptations and tests.  Graduation was His.

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet he did not sin.

This is talking about Jesus.  He empathizes with us.  The last part, –yet he did not sin.  Ooph, how often have I sinned in following through with the temptation or the time I was so challenged by verbal abuse that I lied to keep from calling that person for fear of being abused again.  I detested what fear had driven me to do.  But, having gone through it, I am stronger.  I am aware of my weaknesses and more aware of God’s strength and what He can see me through when I hold to Him.  Tests show us what we know and don’t know. 

At the height of finals time for college students, I found an article written Nov. 10, 2013 by Stanford administrators for Stanford College students.  It was helping them relieve test anxiety.  It carefully reminded the students that their value is not diminished on how they performed, but that the tests are to help them see what they have learned and therefore strengthening their confidence in those matters as well as making them aware of areas that they may need to learn more in order to become stronger in it.  It categorized “learning deeply.”

1.What does it mean?

2.How does it work

3.Why is it important?

4.How does it fit with the other things I’m learning

As we endure those tests and hardships it’s like a faith work-out.  After some testing it has been exhausting, but I get restored by others or helped in the midst of it.  When that same type of test comes around again, I notice how much stronger I am.  My faith abs have become like steel, so to speak and it can be looked at as Stanford indicates “learning deeply.”

Enduring and learning from them allows us to learn the answers.  When someone else is going through the same type of tests in their life, it’s okay to share the answers you learned!  You just may be a “ministering angel” to someone else.  The other part is that like Jesus, we can empathize with them.  That in itself is a gift to one in the midst of trying to find the answers.  Empathizers do minister even if they don’t have exactly my answers, but can recognize the hardship and offer comfort and hope.

Ultimately, every test is an opportunity to draw nearer to the LORD.  Coming into His presence and place is perfect peace. Everything circumstantially can be more than we can handle, but when we put our faith in Him, the peace comes, strength comes and hope comes. 

When similar tests come back around again, the strength to face them and react more strongly in faith has blessed me to let me know how much He has grown me and strengthened me over that time.  I quickly fill in the blank with the answer I learned and see just how much He has taught me.  

When Mary returned to the grave site of Jesus, He had already risen and He made Himself known to her.

 

John 20:16 “Mary!" Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, "Rabboni!" (which is Hebrew for "Teacher").

James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

-Special thanks to Amanda Geisinger for giving me permission to use her art.  She is a skate boarder and talented artist in New York City working for Nickelodeon and she has her own personal blog of art work.  She is intellectual with an ability to tell a simple story through her art.  Two of her personal comics are “Amanda Goes to Church” and the other, “ Amanda Stays In Church.”  She includes in the sub title that she was an atheist with a cross out insertion to An “former” atheist's assorted explorations of Christianity.

Asking permission for art use and photo use has been one of the most fun parts of my blogging.  The people I get to connect with have been outstanding!