Testing of the faith

In real life, we often face challenges especially in the midst of doing something great. I considered my life was quite peaceful without much challenges popping out halfway before I started to believe in Christ. Perhaps, there were no principles for me to follow as I was the Lord of my own. When things happened, I would just react according to my own desire and will. Life was quite easy that time.

Since I have been struggling against a lot of factors that are standing against my faith lately, I started to wonder why it seems to be too difficult to be the follower of Christ. It is inevitable to question myself that “Am I doing the wrong thing right now?” Shouldn’t God encourage people to follow him by making the path to Christ more easy and attractive? Why must there be so many challenges that dismay the believers all along the way of faith?

 I have come to know quite a number of believers in Old Testament of Bible, they were devout and God was pleased with them. But what they had often gone through were the troubles and temptations due to their faith. If I were a father of a child, I would encourage him to do goods by giving him awards and compliments. What kind of father do I believe in now? It doesn’t make sense at all. Giving all kinds of problems and temptations doesn’t seem to be possible to draw people nearer to him!

But yet I have slowly understood the reasons of all the temptations and trials. We have no right at all to gain any goods from God for whatever seemingly good deeds we have ever done, because it is our obligation to do goods ever since we were created in this world. However, the temptations and trials are come to us for exposing the ugliness in our heart, our rebellion to God. Man was created to glorify the Lord and enjoy in him for eternity. But Adam sinned against God that he showed his sinful nature, the desire to be the lord of himself. God always knows the ugly desire we have been possessing in our heart for long, for nothing can be concealed in front of him. But God brings us countless tests in order to show us our deep down sinful nature so that we would repent in him humbly.

The more challenges I faced, the more I realized I am self-centered and doomed. The more challenges I encountered, the more I discovered the greatness of my God for accepting such a self-centered wretch like me. The more tests appeared to stand against me, the more I discovered my vulnerability and helplessness. The more failures I have made when dealing with those trials, the more I discovered how significant God is to me. The more challenges I faced, the more I get to know my own unworthiness of being called to follow him. How great is our God! The words seem to be pale when they come to describe his greatness. Languages and songs turn to be useless to fully express his greatness.

Bible says, ”Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effort, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.’’  (James 1:1-4) “Not only that but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”  (Romans 5:3-5)     

God asks us to rejoice in sufferings and all kinds of trials. What can turn us down when we who are in Christ are able to rejoice in sufferings?! Certainly, we know that God is going to raise us up again after we have gone through the test. “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12) Instead of giving awards for all the goods we may do, he promised giving us the crown of life when we have stood the test.  May God bless us by strengthening us. Have mercy on us for we are weak and helpless.