Recently, a dear friend said, "I can see that my tests are closer together." Then she went on to describe how she'd been presented with two different scenarios several times with in the span of only a few days. James put it this way in chapter 1:
2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Have you felt lately that you are going through the same tests or the same experiences over and over again and that those tests are closer together? For some of us it may be dealing with people at work, in the community or at church. For others of us it may be challenging to saving or giving each time we receive our pay check. When we, in affect, fail our tests or our challenges, the enemy wants to cover up the fact that that test was meant to make you stronger. He wants to distract from the purpose of the test. The test isn't to highlight your failings in a way that brings shame or makes you feel poorly. Not at all. The test is actually a way to show you that you are making progress. That's why when my friend said her tests were closer together, I knew that she was nearer to her victory! The enemy wants you to feel so ashamed and so condemned when you have a failure that you delay re-take and find it difficult to connect the dots between your tests and experience how God is strengthening you. Let me try to explain it this way. When I was very young, around 12 or so, it was prophesied to me that I would be a preacher. That information was scary at that age, but it rang true some place within me. I knew it was accurate in my spirit. But there was a major issue. I was and remain painfully shy. It sort of reminds me of Moses telling God that he wasn't able to speak to the people. But here's the thing, God calls and God chooses. He does so at His will and for His glory. So now in my hindsight, I can look back over my life and see all I have been through, each test, each trial, all of my tribulations and I can sew them together into a tapestry that reveals the picture of how God has nudged me into His purpose for my life. It's amazing when you give it some thought. God actually meant my failings and my rough patches to be for my good? He meant for all of that to make me stronger, wiser, better and fit for His use and purpose? He did that just for me? It makes you look at your re-takes so differently. Failing isn't failure unless we refuse to learn and grow from it. Failing is a necessary stepping stone in growing stronger.
I imagine the life of a body builder. We see the after pictures. These individuals have bodies that look awesome. Yet we weren't there during the building process. We werent there through the pain. We were just witnesses to the end results. That body builder had to discipline himself exercise everyday and had to deny himself when he wanted to eat sweet snacks. He had to push himself to workout and to lift more weight each time. The process took time, it didn't happen overnight. But as he went along he would measure his muscle growth and he could tell that his endurance was getting better. Think of yourself as a spirit builder. Like a body builder, your spirit must be challenged so that you can see your growth and so that you can tell that you now have more endurance. Consider how Paul viewed this in Romans 5:
1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Truly our progress is measured in faith and maturity. Our standard is Jesus Christ. We strive to be like Him in how we show love toward each other and how we have compassion for people. We work to build our endurance to be like Christ in how we show up for our divine appointments and act as conduits to allow His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Truly we strive to be like Christ in facilitating a real relationship between God and His people. But often people don't see the work of our spiritual building and our maturity. They don't see the pain and the trials that bring out patience and discipline. They don't see how we learn to give and how we become aware so that we are not ignorant of Satan's devvices against us. They see the result, but we know our struggle and that our struggle sometimes comes in waves of tests that are back to back showing us that we have gained spiritual muscle and endurance.
Today, be purposeful in your spirit building. Set your eyes on the standard, Jesus Christ. Strive to be humble like Him. Strive to serve like Him. Strive to live like Him. Before you know it you will be measuring your success in faith through experience which results in hope.
