You’re “graced” for this test

Job lost his family and his fortune in a single day. Yet looking back, he wrote, “When he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” It takes much more heat to produce gold than it does to produce tin. So which of the two do you want to be? To enjoy the blessing God has in mind for you, you’ve got to pass life’s tests. In the early days of television programming, schedules were routinely interrupted by a thirty-second test of “The Emergency Broadcast System.” And those tests are a lot like the ones that come into our lives—unscheduled, unwelcome, and they always seem to come at the worst possible time. But unlike television test patterns, life’s tests don’t last for thirty seconds then go away. No, they can last for weeks, years, and in some cases, for a lifetime. And the reason why may never be completely clear to you. However, there’s an aspect of the test you can control—how you respond to it. The truth is, tests are an invaluable, integral, and indispensable part of your spiritual growth. Without them, you’ll never grow and mature as much as you need to. And it’s how you handle your “tests” that decides your “testimony.” Paul wrote, “Every detail works to your advantage and to God’s glory: more and more grace…more and more praise! So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside…not a day goes by without his unfolding grace” (2 Corinthians 4:15-16 MSG). Bottom line: you’re “graced” for this test.