Tests and Trials
ICS Daily Devotions
Genesis 22:2 (NKJV) Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
We will all undergo challenges in our Christian walks. While some are tests whose purpose is to remove the idols from our lives, some are trials that prune our characters. We need to be reminded to stay humble and not let wealth take the place of God in our hearts. Besides money, we can hold many other things dear to our hearts. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, they can become idols that need to be removed so that God can reclaim the central place in our hearts.
God tested Abraham’s heart by asking him to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah. Abraham loved Isaac deeply because he was the son of his old age, the child God promised to him and Sarah, their only son.
Did you know that even something given to us by God can become an idol in our lives? It could be our career, possessions, hobbies, job, or something very dear to us. The good news is that once we pass the test—in other words, when something we held dear to our hearts is no longer an idol—God may return it to us, just like He did with Abraham. God provided a ram to be offered instead when Abraham was ready to give up Isaac to the Lord.
What do you hold dearly that God wants you to give up? He is dealing with it because He desires you to consecrate your life. When we understand that God is a jealous God who hates idols and will deal with what has become an idol in our lives, it will help us to endure in our faith and finish the race. We must give it up even though it is painful and costly.
James 1:2-3 (NKJV) My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
On the other hand, a trial can serve as a form of persecution against our faith, whether by people or adverse circumstances, when we’re asked to stand up for our beliefs. We can draw a parallel to Daniel chapter 3, where Daniel’s three friends were tested by the pressure to bow down to the gold image. Likewise, we will face tests when called to uphold our faith, values, and principles. The good thing is that we can seek God’s wisdom on handling these situations, and God’s grace will sustain us. In our weakness, His grace is fully revealed, and we will grow spiritually and be moulded in our character when we are going through a trial.
Sermon Series： We Need to Have Simple Faith
