We’ve all had an will continue to have mountain top (highs) and valley (lows) experiences in life. In a matter of seconds our comfortable world as we know it can be shaken to it’s core. It’s easy to have faith when situations are comfortable but when challenges come that’s when faith shows itself strong. The enemy knows that if we are depleted, tired, worn out and stressed out it becomes difficult to perform and make sound decisions.
How do you know when your faith is being tested?
You will not always know but one way you can know when your faith is being tested is when something happens that should cause you to let go of God, give up on life or your dreams, curse God, or stop believing in God.
God often uses people in our life to test and stretch and develop our faith. This test asks the question, “How will you handle disappointment?” Life is often disappointing. Careers, marriages, friendships, finances and even plans don’t turn out the way we planned them. But the most disappointing thing in life is people. Why? We get disappointed by people because we expect them to meet a need that only God himself can meet. We are instructed in Proverbs 3:5-6 to “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
The greatest weapon the enemy uses when our faith is being tested, is psychological warfare because worrying is a sign that we don’t trust God. It’s easy to trust in something when you know the details, but often times when we are faced with test and trials the details are left out. I believe that God left out the details so we can grow. Our sole job is to have faith to believe that God has already worked it out in our favor. We ought to leave the details and process of who, what, when, & why, up to Him.
One thing I’ve learned is that our flesh is cowardly because it relies on our senses to determine how we should feel. However, our spirit is fearless because the Holy Spirit dwells therein. The season of testing may be long and difficult, but God promised that he will never forsake us. At times we will feel like he is not there, but that is the time he is carrying us.
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
James 1:2-4 KJV