DO you remember the day of your driving test? I remember the first one ... and the second ... and the third. My heart was pounding, my palms sweating, and I felt sick in the pit of my stomach. How was I expected to take a test feeling like that?
Before and after my tests I needed the encouragement of my instructor. Having failed my first two, I doubt whether I would have carried on - and eventually passed at the third attempt - without his support.
Some testing situations are far harder than a driving test. They can shake our faith and cause us to question all we believe. A baby dies. A young mum has cancer diagnosed. A partner walks out.
It amazes me how many people get through such trials with their faith intact. They discover that God upholds them, and they emerge stronger people.
However, there are people who cut themselves off from God at such times. They feel angry, bitter and let down by God or by other Christians who did not do what they expected or needed.
One Bible writer described a testing time for his faith like this: ‘I am worn out, Lord, waiting for you to save me ... My eyes are tired from watching for what you promised, while I ask, "When will you help me?"' (Psalm 119:81, 82 Good News Bible).
I spoke to a woman who had been a member of a church when her baby was born disabled. She became angry and bitter with God, and left the church. She found the test to be too hard.
I wanted to tell her that God believed in her, and that, although we may find some tests too difficult, he sees no one as a failure. The truth is that God loves us, whatever and however we are feeling.
One of the early Christians, Paul, had some tough tests of his own but remained confident of God. He wrote: ‘I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love' (Romans 8:38).
‘Nothing' includes redundancy, cancer, divorce or any other problem we may have to face.
Being a Christian does not mean that life will be easy. But we are all on a journey and need to keep going so that we get to the destination that God has promised. The more we rely on him, the better the journey will be.
War Cry 27 February 2010 - TSA UK
Before and after my tests I needed the encouragement of my instructor. Having failed my first two, I doubt whether I would have carried on - and eventually passed at the third attempt - without his support.
Some testing situations are far harder than a driving test. They can shake our faith and cause us to question all we believe. A baby dies. A young mum has cancer diagnosed. A partner walks out.
It amazes me how many people get through such trials with their faith intact. They discover that God upholds them, and they emerge stronger people.
However, there are people who cut themselves off from God at such times. They feel angry, bitter and let down by God or by other Christians who did not do what they expected or needed.
One Bible writer described a testing time for his faith like this: ‘I am worn out, Lord, waiting for you to save me ... My eyes are tired from watching for what you promised, while I ask, "When will you help me?"' (Psalm 119:81, 82 Good News Bible).
I spoke to a woman who had been a member of a church when her baby was born disabled. She became angry and bitter with God, and left the church. She found the test to be too hard.
I wanted to tell her that God believed in her, and that, although we may find some tests too difficult, he sees no one as a failure. The truth is that God loves us, whatever and however we are feeling.
One of the early Christians, Paul, had some tough tests of his own but remained confident of God. He wrote: ‘I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love' (Romans 8:38).
‘Nothing' includes redundancy, cancer, divorce or any other problem we may have to face.
Being a Christian does not mean that life will be easy. But we are all on a journey and need to keep going so that we get to the destination that God has promised. The more we rely on him, the better the journey will be.
War Cry 27 February 2010 - TSA UK
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