What If God Is Testing Me?

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. [2] Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you. ”

Genesis 22:1-2 NIV

Tests are part of our spiritual life, but they’re a little different than the ones we take at school.

God tests and trains us so that we can grow to become who we are meant to be.

I’m feeling inadequate

These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan [2] (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience):

Judges 3:1-2 NIV

Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character.

Psalm 105:19 NLT

I’m feeling irritated

Vindicate me, Lord, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered. [2] Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; [3] for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love.

Psalm 26:1-3 NIV

Blessed are those who make You their strength, for they treasure every step of the journey [to Zion].

Psalm 84:5 – The Voice

I’m feeling inspired

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. [7] These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. [8] Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, [9] for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:6-9 NIV

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. [25] For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. [26] What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

Matthew 16:24-26 NIV

We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his, he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God!

Hebrews 12:2 TPT