Home >
Humanities And Science >
Religion
We all know that athletes need endurance training for
physical stamina and mental toughness. When game time
arrives, he or she will be ready to do battle and will have
a greater chance at victory. If the athlete does not go
through the necessary preparedness, he or she may not even
be allowed into the game.
It's the same in our walk with God. We really shouldn't
expect that we can just ask God for some great position in
life with out any preparation. It's the tests and trials
that He allows us to go through that are what prepare us for
the greater things He has in store in the future.
There are two reasons why God tests us. The first reason is:
1. To Produce Patience
James 1:2-3 tells us, "Count it all joy when you fall into
various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith
produces patience.
There is a huge misunderstanding of what the word "patience"
actually means. Most people will say that it means to
"wait." But, that's not true. If you look up the word
"patient" in Webster's Dictionary it actually means to bear
trials without complaining.
God doesn't want to hear someone complain anymore than you
want to hear someone complain. Not only that, but complaining
only reinforces your situation. Whatever you talk about and
focus on becomes magnified.
God uses tests and trials to bring patience into our lives
because He wants us to develop a good attitude. A good
attitude then, will make us the kind of person God can use.
We will become perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
The second reason God tests us is:
2. To Make You Perfect, Complete, and Lacking Nothing
James 1:4 says, "Let patience have its perfect work, that
you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."
God sometimes allows storms into our lives to test us so
that He may accomplish a purpose in us. And, that purpose
is to prepare us for greater things (Psalm 107).
If you're facing some challenges in your life today, just
ask God to hold you up, strengthen you, and help you learn
what He is trying to teach you.
Keep in mind that not all storms in your life are from God.
Many times, you can create your own storms by making poor
decisions. The best thing to do in these cases is to ask God
to help you learn from your mistakes.
God can use your own storms to teach you things and use them
to bring you increase. Always remember Romans 8:28, "All
things work together for good to them who love the Lord and
are called according to His purpose."
Be encouraged if things are not what you think they should
be. God has a wonderful plan for your life and He may just
be working on the inside of you right now. Maybe you're just
learning patience. If you've already learned patience, maybe
patience is having it's perfect work, making you perfect and
complete, to where you will lack nothing.