My wife, Fancie, clutched the steering wheel, knuckles white. Rain lashed against the windshield, blurring the road ahead. Her car sputtered and coughed, threatening to stall on this deserted highway.
That morning, she had set out with determination for her dream job interview. Now, stranded and questioning everything, a single thought echoed in her mind: “Is this a test from God?”
Challenges are inevitable in life, but sometimes they hit us with the force of a hurricane. Doubt creeps in. We wonder if our struggles are life’s hardships or a test from God. Have you ever felt this way?
In this blog post, I will explore the signs that God might be testing you. By knowing the purpose of these tests, you can overcome them. You will also grow closer to God and step into the amazing future He has planned for you.
So, take a deep breath, and let’s embark on this journey together.
Key Takeaways
- God will often test you before elevating you or bringing a breakthrough. Passing the test prepares you for what’s coming next.
- Tests demand total obedience and faith. Follow God, even if it feels illogical or uncomfortable.
- Tests reveal where your identity, security, and satisfaction truly come from. They expose impure motives in your heart.
- When you feel distant from God in trials, it’s His loving call. Seek Him more and build a deeper intimacy with Him.
- Standing firm when you feel like quitting builds spiritual muscle. God develops perseverance and endurance through testing.
- Testing prepares you for greater responsibility and blessings. God wants to know He can trust you before entrusting you with more.
- In tests, seek to glorify God. Trust His process. Look for what He wants to teach you.
Signs God is Testing You
“2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” – James 1:2-3 (NLT)
Here are 9 signs that the difficulties you face may be a test from God:
1. The test comes before a new season or blessing.
In the Bible, we often see God testing someone right before elevating them. He tested Joseph in prison before making him second-in-command over Egypt. The devil tested Jesus in the wilderness before he started his earthly ministry.
Likewise, God will often test you before promoting you to a new level. Passing the test prepares you for what’s coming next. If you’ve been seeking God for a breakthrough, a test may come before He grants your request.
2. The test requires deep faith and obedience.
A test from God will likely need you to obey in faith even when His instructions don’t make sense. The test reveals whether you love God and will do what God says because He said so.
For example, God tested Abraham by telling him to sacrifice his son Isaac. This didn’t align with God’s promises or character, yet Abraham obeyed. His radical obedience demonstrated tremendous faith.
God may lead you to do things that seem illogical as a way to build your trust in Him. But taking action expresses faith that God knows what He’s doing.
3. The test detaches you from emotions and experiences.
While experiences with God are wonderful, tests teach you to walk with Him even when you don’t “feel” Him. During a test, you may feel as if God is distant, even though He is close by your side.
God wants you to grow beyond needing an emotional experience to sustain your faith. He wants you to develop spiritual maturity by trusting His Word over your feelings.
So God may remove supernatural experiences so you don’t depend on them, so that you can learn to walk by faith.
4. The test purifies your motives and draws you closer to God.
Like fire purifies gold, God uses tests to refine your heart and purify your motives. Tests reveal things like selfish ambition, pride, and jealousy buried within you. They reveal where you truly place your identity and worth.
When you feel distant from God, it is a test. It is God’s loving call to seek Him more. Your hunger for God should increase. You’ll shed impure motives as you cultivate intimacy with Him.
5. The test examines your perseverance and endurance.
Passing a test often requires persevering through difficulty for an extended time. It tests your ability to endure pressure and stay loyal when you want to quit.
Enduring hardship also develops spiritual muscle. Your faith grows stronger as you rely entirely on God during tribulation. His power is made perfect in weakness.
If your situation seems unending, ask God. He will reveal what He wants to produce in you through this test of perseverance.
6. The test prepares you for greater responsibility.
Like a job promotion, God will test you before increasing your spiritual power and responsibilities. Passing the test proves you’re ready for more.
Every time God called Moses to a greater duty, He tested him first. God will test your character and commitment before entrusting you with more.
So embrace tests as preparation for advancement. Allow them to refine you into a trustworthy steward of God’s blessings.
7. The test causes you to seek God passionately.
When you feel distant from God, you may want to pursue Him more in prayer, worship, and Bible study. Cling tighter to Him, realizing that nothing else satisfies.
Thus, one purpose of testing is to create a deeper hunger for God in your life. As you seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him. He promises to draw near to you as you draw near to Him.
8. The test reveals jealousy and envy in your heart.
Often your response to others’ blessings reveals what’s inside you. If someone else gets what you’ve wanted, do you celebrate or feel envy?
God will test you by blessing the people around you first. How you react exposes whether jealousy and comparison have a foothold in your heart. Learn to celebrate with those whom God blesses.
9. The test requires bold faith to step out of your comfort zone.
Stepping into God’s calling often requires brave, faith-filled steps. They will take you out of your comfort zone. God will test your willingness to follow Him into the unknown.
Your test may involve leaving home, starting a ministry, a new career, or sharing your faith. These acts need bold faith. As you pass the tests, God will bring breakthroughs.
How to Respond to God’s Tests
When you find yourself in the midst of God’s tests, here are some ways to respond:
- Maintain the right perspective. God is testing you for your benefit. It is to refine and prepare you for a spiritual promotion.
- Seek to glorify God. Ask God to give you a heart to glorify Him with your attitude and obedience throughout the test.
- Remain close to God. Keep seeking God’s face through prayer, worship, and Bible study. Don’t withdraw from Him.
- Look for what God wants to teach you. Ask God to show you what He wants you to learn through this test.
- Stand firm on God’s Word. Combat doubt and discouragement with Scripture. God’s Word is a sure anchor during storms.
- Trust God’s timing and process. Believe that God is sovereign over your life and circumstances. He promises to work it out for your good.
Examples of God Testing People in the Bible
Let’s look at some biblical examples to give you a better perspective on why God tests us. Let’s examine a few key stories:
- Abraham. God tested Abraham. He told him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Isaac was the son God had given him through Sarah in their old age. This excruciating test revealed Abraham’s willingness to surrender everything to God. God intervened to stop the sacrifice. He blessed Abraham with great abundance for his faithfulness.
- Joseph. Joseph faced tests too. His brothers sold him into slavery. Potiphar’s wife made a false accusation against him. Then they forgot him in prison. Each test refined Joseph’s character. Then God elevated him to save nations from famine.
- Job. God permitted everything to be stripped from Job – health, wealth, and family. Yet Job still chose to trust and worship God through horrific suffering. This test of faith brought Job to a deeper understanding of God’s sovereignty.
- Jesus. Before starting His earthly ministry, Jesus was tested by Satan in the wilderness. He was tempted to misuse His divine power and compromise His allegiance to God. Jesus passed the tests and gained victory over temptation.
- Paul. God’s messenger Ananias, told Paul he would face severe persecution for following Christ. Paul embraced many beatings, stonings, imprisonment, and shipwrecks to spread the Gospel. His willingness to endure significant hardship honored God.
In each example, God used intense testing to refine character and prove faithfulness. Then He brought each person into greater blessings and responsibility.
Conclusion
In tough times, God may be testing you for greater things ahead. Examine your heart and draw close to Him. Trust God as He refines you for spiritual promotion as you keep your eyes fixed on Him.
God promises to be with you in every trial and provide the grace to endure. His power is made perfect in weakness. As you surrender to the test and seek the Lord’s help, He will refine you like gold. You will be ready to receive all He has prepared for you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How long will God’s tests last?
A. God’s timing is sovereign. Some tests are short, while some last many years. Focus on passing the test rather than when it will end.
Q. Why does God test us if He already knows what is in our hearts?
A. God knows all things. Testing reveals our weaknesses and helps us grow by overcoming them through faith in God.
Q. Is it ever God’s will for me to fail a test?
A. God may allow you to fail a test to teach you lessons in humility and dependence on Him. But He provides the grace for you to eventually pass the tests He gives you.
Q. Are all difficulties a test from God?
A. Not all difficulties are tests from God. Some are consequences of sin or the conditions of a fallen world. Discern God’s voice through prayer when navigating hard circumstances.
Q. Why does God test people differently?
A. God tailors tests to each person’s ability and what He wants to strengthen in them. Our personal journeys are all unique. Comparison distracts you from a complete embrace of what God is doing in your life.
