"Testing, Testing...."

By Gobel Brockman


I will admit that my school days are getting smaller and smaller in the rear-view mirror of my memory, but I do still remember them. I must admit, however, that I don't remember them fondly. That is primarily my own fault due to drug and alcohol abuse, but the (admittedly brief) time I spent actually trying to be a student didn't go so well either. I consider myself of average intelligence (although those who know me well may argue that point!) but my grades wouldn't have reflected that. I did well enough to pass, but that was about the extent of it. I really struggled with tests. One thing that I can remember thinking after I graduated was that I was glad I was finally done with tests.

Wow, was I ever wrong.

Our lives are FILLED with tests. Maybe not tests that are given with paper and ink, but life tests that are much more difficult to navigate. As Christians, we are tested on a regular basis. But if we will learn both the source and the purpose of our tests, we will realize that they truly are for our benefit. As the children of Israel were preparing to enter the Promised Land, God said this to them in Deuteronomy 8:2:

     "Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey His commands." (Emphasis mine.)  

God never tempts us (see James 1) but He does test us. Why does He do that? Sometimes when we're in the middle of these situations we're tempted to feel as though God is angry with us or that we've sinned against Him, but that's not what being tested is all about. Let me give you an example of what I mean: I've spent years being involved with church music, including several years serving as a worship leader. One of the things I would do in that capacity was to show up to church early to get everything ready. One of the things I would do before every service was to "test" all of the microphones. Why would I do that? Was I angry at the mics? Had they somehow "sinned against me?" Of course not. So why was I testing them?

I was getting ready to use them, and I wanted to make sure that they were ready to go.

God testing us isn't about punishing us or crushing us, it's about finding out if we're ready to step into the next level of destiny that He has for us. Finding out that a microphone wouldn't work was much better before the church service than during the church service. Likewise, God will test our character and obedience before sending us into an area that we may not be quite prepared for yet. But the positive side in this is that God - the giver of the test - is the very one who prepares us for them. One thing that helped me in school were those rare occasions when the teacher would give "open-book" tests where you could consult the textbook while taking the exam. God has given us a perfect textbook that He encourages us to open regularly and that answers every question we face in life. Do you want to know how to get through the tests that you're going to be presented? Study the textbook. The answers are there, and a passing grade will move us on to the next level. Just like the microphones, I want to pass the "test" so that I can be used in the work of God.

What about you?