I do not like taking tests and even though I’ve never failed one, the idea of taking a test brings with it a certain amount of anxiety. 

The most recent tests I’ve had to take had to do with obtaining a certification as a yoga instructor and a public school teacher. Neither of these tests were an option, rather a requirement. Both were expensive, but could be retaken if I happened to fail. Since I had no desire to shell out the money to retake these tests, I forced myself to study hard in order to pass them the first time. Though I wondered if I could remember everything I needed to remember, I was relieved and grateful when I looked at my scores. I passed both tests with flying colors and was awarded the certifications I was striving toward. 

When Our Faith Gets Tested

There is another kind of testing that occurs in life if. It is not a pencil and paper kind of examination. Instead, it is a very personal test that causes us to reflect on our faith. Inevitably, all believers are faced with trials. And when they come, we have the choice of throwing  in the towel, giving up and abandoning our belief or finding the resolve, fortitude and commitment to continue on in our faith.  

These universal, unexpected and uninvited tribulations force us to answer a question only we can answer; do I trust God with this or not? How we answer that question determines the future of our faith. 

Reflecting on some of the trials that have tested my faith, I cannot deny that I didn’t wobble, doubt or even consider letting go of what I believed. But, when I thought about the alternative, I realized the best choice to make was to stick with God. Even if I could not understand the “why” behind the trial, I could understand my need to rely on someone besides myself, someone greater than me. Because without God, all I have is me. 

It was quite a few years ago that I had a holy moment, an epiphany of sorts, that I will never forget. There was a very clear moment of thinking when I was fully convinced that I do not have enough wisdom or strength to fight against the circumstances that want to take me down. In that nano second, I was fully convinced of two things. First, I needed to fully rely on God and secondly, God is fully reliable. Yet, even after that moment of truth, I still have to be reminded and trials have a way of reminding me of the truth. 

 On whom else but God can I cast all my cares on? Who else but God tells me that I don’t have to worry or be anxious? Who else but God stays with me when everyone else has left? 

Trials will never cease. There will always be something that tests my faith. Yet, it is in remembering God’s faithfulness that I can remain faithful when my faith is tried. 

Why bother welcoming a test? Trials come whether we welcome them or not. But when they arrive, we can be assured that they will present us with the opportunity to examine our faith and discover for ourselves who it is we are trusting.