Why The Test When We Try To Do Our Best?
By
Camilla Smith
Trials and
tribulations of
life.
They are
here to stay and
we will always
have them.
Sometimes
you think to
yourself, “oh
when this is
over, I can get
on with my
life”.
But isn’t
there always
another
interruption?
Another
test, another
distraction,
another
irritation that
keeps us from
enjoying our
life.
Sometimes
it is something
aggravating like
an obligatory
function that
you have to
attend, or maybe
something more
annoying like a
battery of
medical tests
that you have to
push through.
Or maybe
it is even
worse.
Maybe it
is a serious
illness or a
financial crisis
that takes you
to your knees
(which is the
best place to be
anyway).
No matter
what crisis you
are going
through, that
IS life.
Interruptions
and bumps in the
road are the
“stuff” that
life is made of.
So the
sooner we can
accept that we
were not
promised a
journey without
challenges, the
better off we
will be.
But do you ever
wonder why we
have so many
crises in our
lives?
We are
Christians.
We try to
live a good life
and please God.
We try to
be as
Christ-like as
we can be and we
try to obey the
rules when there
are so many in
this world who
don’t even know
how to spell the
word rule.
Well, I
was thinking
about it today
while I was out
walking,
listening to my
favorite gospel
songs on my
music player.
And it
hit me.
Now this
is just my
theory, but I
thought to
myself, “God has
suffered
immensely.”
My heart
hurts just
thinking about
what God has
gone through
over the
centuries.
How much
disappointment
and dismay He
has experienced
watching His
children and His
creation let Him
down day after
day after day.
Agonizing
does not
describe it.
Then to
know the
sacrifice that
He would have to
make in sending
His son to die
for those very
people who have
broken His own
heart.
I cannot
even imagine it.
And
Jesus, God’s
only son,
suffered
unbelievably,
coming to earth,
living the
perfect,
sinless,
absolute
glorious
existence, only
to be put to
death in a
manner of
torture and
cruelty that is
utterly
shocking.
Who would
imagine that man
could have ever
invented
crucifixion?
When I
think of the
pain and the
humiliation He
must have felt,
hanging on a
tree with spikes
in His hands and
feet, I know
that Jesus truly
paid it all.
His
suffering on the
cross was so
massive and
monumental that
we as humans can
never define it.
We can
never fathom the
depth of His
anguish and
despair as He
took the sins of
the world in
those hours.
But it
was the most
important event
in the history
of the world.
For if
Jesus Christ had
not suffered and
died in that
manner, where
would we be?
We would
be absolutely
and infinitely
without hope,
that is where.
His
sacrifice, His
agony, His
blood, His
death—our
atonement.
For we
know that His
death lead to
His Resurrection
and His
Resurrection to
our redemption.
We have
absolute peace
in knowing that
God’s suffering
and Jesus’
suffering were
rendered on our
behalf.
And do we
deserve that?
Of course
we do not.
Not even
a fraction, not
even a miniscule
amount of that
kind of love do
we deserve.
So you see, when
we are going
through
tumultuous times
and hardships in
life, we must
remember what
our Savior went
through.
We must
remember what
God the Father
has endured for
our sake.
We must
remember that
angels have been
fighting battles
for us since the
dawn of time.
If God,
Jesus and his
angels can do
this for us, can
we hurt a little
bit while we are
going through
this life?
You bet
we can.
We owe
Him.
We owe
Them.
But the
best thing is
that He will be
with us through
every fire and
every storm that
life throws our
way.
In fact,
we are
emboldened and
strengthened
through each
battle that we
fight.
We come
out on the other
side being
stronger people,
stronger
citizens,
stronger
neighbors,
stronger family
members, and of
course,
stronger,
empowered,
rejuvenated,
regenerated
believers!
Because
we know that God
is our strength,
our salvation,
our
fortitude and we
know that He is
our Blessed
Hope!
We also
know that He
will be calling
us home very
soon, and what a
joyous day that
will be!
All the
suffering will
be over.
No more
night.
Only
sweet victory
with our Lord
Jesus.
If children,
heirs also,
heirs of God and
fellow heirs
with Christ, if
indeed we suffer
with Him so that
we may also be
glorified with
Him.
Romans
8:17.
Life can be one
big frustration
at times.
But think
how unbelievers
must feel.
They have
no hope at all.
So we
must be diligent
in our battle to
win them to
Christ before
that trumpet
sounds and we
are quickly
changed and
taken to be with
the Lord
forever.
This is
our commission.
This is
our testament.
This is
our duty to God.
We have
so little time
left and there
are so many
without hope.
And we
know they are
suffering.
Even if
it is a little
inconvenient or
uncomfortable at
times, remember
the One who
truly suffered
and share Him
with an
unbeliever.
It will
be the best
thing you will
ever do.
And
guaranteed, it
will ease any
suffering you
might be going
through!
Ask the
Holy Spirit to
help you witness
to those around
you who are lost
and in need of
salvation.
He will
be there and
guide you
through each
word and each
thought as you
talk to others
about the
gospel.
You can
be confident of
that.
For you have
been called for
this purpose,
since Christ
also suffered
for you, leaving
you an example
for you to
follow in His
steps.
1 Peter
2:21.
And when things
are tough for
us, and they
will undoubtedly
get even tougher
in the days to
come, I will
share a chorus
from a favorite
Crabb Family
song that I’m
sure many of you
are familiar
with:
THROUGH THE FIRE
“He never
promised that
the cross would
not get heavy,
Or the hill
would not be
hard to climb.
He never offered
our victories
without fighting
but He said
Help would
always come in
time.
Just remember
when you’re
standing in the
valley of
decision
And the
adversary says
“Give in”,
Just hold on!
Our Lord
will show up!
And He will take
you through the
fire again!!
Stay strong—it
won’t be long
now!
Camilla Smith