Beware the Ways of Sin

Signs of a Test
by Rev. Kelvin Broadus

Today, I was watching a brief episode of "Cosby" in which the power went out. Everybody had become depressed and saddened, talking about how bad it was. As time went on they began to become more optimistic though. They even started to have a little street party with singing and grilling. Then when they finally accepted that it wasn't so bad after all, the power came back on and everything was back to normal.

Doesn't this sound so very familiar? When I saw it, I started realizing how so very often we go through hard situations that are merely a test of our own faith. It seems kind of identifiable even, as the situation seems to last as long as you are "hurting" from it, then as soon as you look at the brighter side and regain your joy in the midst of the struggle the struggle goes away. That is how tests are; you have to keep testing until you pass the test. Though we are often tested though, we are not to grow weary from them. In Genesis 22, God gave Abraham a test to sacrifice his only son. This would be truly a difficult situation, but Abraham stood faithfully, and when he had shown God that he would be faithful, God took the burden away and allowed his son to live. The other result was Abraham becoming a father of many nations, as he proved to God that his submission to Him was greater than any love in the Earth. Such intense tests occur time and time again throughout the Word of God, such as lack of food being given freely only to multiply its supply to more than enough. Another is when God was setting the children of Israel free, but they became afraid because Pharaoh was chasing them. Then God delivered them when they kept going. And even when the disciples began to follow Jesus and were told to give up everything to do it, then they became more blessed than they ever would have been if they had stayed.

We might question how to be so faithful in such tests. There is no simple way to explain steps, but it just comes with understanding, and accepting, who you are in Christ. You have to accept that God loves you, and loved you enough to give His only son to sacrifice that you'd be made one of His own and have eternal life and salvation. It takes accepting that God is able to carry you through any circumstance, and that anything taken from you can be restored to you many times over, even more though, that He knows what is going on and there is nothing that He cannot handle. If He was able to create the world, how much more can He do to your situation if you just yield? There are times when you have to just hold on to His world when it says, that "all things work for the good of those that love God." And overall, no matter what we are going through, we have to stand on the Word of God and His promises, looking solely on it, and not what our eyes can see. The signs of a test are most easily identified after they have been accomplished, but the let us not even worry about those signs, and just focus on Him and His love for us in every situation, and we shall always pass with ease.

If there are any out there who have been going through some tough and testing times, let us join you in prayer for your situation by emailing us your concerns. Even if not though, please, take it to God and trust in Him, for He will see you through. Even more though, if you don't even know God, please go to our salvation page and repeat the prayer of salvation. Give Him a try, as He will never let you down. We are here for you for any need in your spiritual growth and we'd be happy to hear from you.