TESTED TOUGH

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

ARE YOU SEEKING?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“Really GOD, really?”

“For real?”

“As if things weren’t tough enough already and now this?”

“GOD, just in case you've noticed things haven’t been actually hitting on all cylinders these days for me. You know, the marriage, the debt, that goofball boss.”

“Maybe I am all “trialed out”. “Maybe?”

You been there? Felt that way?

Loaded down with “WHY’s”?

“WHY ME?” “WHY NOW?” “WHY THIS?”

Perhaps a little perspective would be helpful.

1 Peter 1:7

⁷These tests have come to prove your faith and to show that it is good. Gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire. Your faith is worth much more than gold and it must be tested also. Then your faith will bring thanks and shining-greatness and honor to Jesus Christ when He comes again.

Truth is GOD allows trials to test our faith.

That old saying you see all the time, “what does not kill us makes us stronger”applies here.

The test is to improve us, refine us, and advance us.

So never get overwhelmed with the trial that you start believing GOD wants you to fail. Instead, His intention is to strengthen your faith. Look at that verse a little again. “These tests have come to ‘prove your faith’”.

Untested faith is unproven faith.

GOD uses the test to lead you to Him. He uses the pressure to develop patience, endurance and expectancy in us. To FORGE our faith.

Romans 5:3-5
We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patiencein us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next.

So we can’t be so quick to cash out when the trials or the tests come. We can’t be so quick to complain and whine when they hit the door. We must instead face them openly and honestly if we’re to become mature believers. Never forget, GOD wants to bring out the best in us.

Romans 12:2

…God brings the best out of you, develops well-formedmaturity in you.

So GOD has a purpose for every challenge He allows to come your way.

Our job is to seek the purpose in the pain, to stand firm and allow Him to accomplish His will in our lives.

Have a blessed day!

I love you all.

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney