Reaping Benefits from Tests and Challenges

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way (James 1:2-4 –The Message)

Tests and difficulties are part of life on this planet. None of us are immune from hardship. Walking by faith doesn’t promise freedom from life challenges. But it does promise that the Father will help your through every circumstance to victory!

Determine to get the most out of the hard places life brings you by keeping a good attitude and expecting the Father to give you wisdom and to bring you through the ordeal.

And you can really milk all you can get out of a test or trial by counting it all joy. Decide to walk in praise and thanksgiving when you feel like griping and complaining. Active praise and worship in the midst of a test will open your life to the power of God. He will begin to put in motion the answer as you stand in faith by praising God and giving thanks.

And then what Satan meant for evil, God will actually work out for your good. As the outward pressure reveals areas of personal weakness in you, acknowledge those weaknesses to the Father and ask Him to work them out of your life.

Some of the greatest workings of the Father in my personal life have been during seasons of great hardship where I really wanted to quit. I just set my jaw and praised God and gave thanks for Him working the situation out.

My personal freedom from perfectionism, workaholic tendencies, and deep seated feelings of rejection came out of one of the greatest trials of my life many years ago. Believe me, I don’t want to go through that time in my life again. But on the other hand, no amount of money could purchase the life change that going through that tough time produced in me!

If you’ve been whining and complaining about what’s happening in your life right now, I urge you to read the above verse again. Make a decision right now to adjust your attitude and being to stand in praise, worship, and thanksgiving for the victory the Father is providing you in this test! When you come out on the other side of this challenge, you’ll be strong, wiser, and more patient and Christ like. But only if you choose to count it all joy!