“The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.” Proverbs 17:3

What does God want from you and me now in life? Why does HE test our hearts? What is he testing us for? Does HE want us simply to follow the rules and religious ways given to us? Or is there more?

How about those two important characteristics – trust and loyalty.

Is not trust the anchor of relationships? Is not loyalty the glue of organizational accomplishments? Are not both the heartbeat of God’s desire for you and me?

Are not both trust and loyalty expressed through the faith we exercise with Jesus? Are they not the byproduct of faith in action?

Throughout Scripture, people are always being tested by God. HE wants to confirm and also for us to know the condition of our hearts. It started with Adam and Eve. One test. One very noticeable failure. Abraham was tested. Would he sacrifice his one and only son. Moses was tested. Would he face Pharaoh on behalf of Yahweh. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were tested. They would rather die than disobey their Lord. Saul was tested as king of Israel. He failed. David was tested for thirteen years before he replaced Saul as king.

Jesus was even tested in the wilderness. He could have had all his earthly desires fulfilled without trusting God’s timeline. But HE chose to wait and live out HIS Father’s will. Peter was tested and failed three times when he denied Jesus. But God’s grace empowered him when he repented with Jesus on that beach after the resurrection. Judas also was tested and failed. Rather than repent, he chose the cowardly way out of the situation and hung himself.

There are many other examples.

At the end of the day, it’s not what you know nor what you even do. Instead, can God trust you? As an agent of HIS, can HE send you to the furthest corner of the universe and know you will do what is best per HIS character? If the enemy makes an enticing offer to you, will you accept or be loyal to HIM?

Trust and loyalty are character strengths that are verified through battle. Each battle is a test. Each day when temptation comes to break the trust you and HE have developed; do you go the way of Judas or Jesus? When the adversary makes you an offer to join his side of the campaign, do you sell your loyalty for personal gain?

Yes, your faith is being tested each day. Every day you are either strengthening your relationship with Jesus or not. Like a marriage for life, you commit to make the relationship work. You do not enter situations that may endanger the trust you have built with your Lover. You may not like everything about the situation you are in, but you also know you are in good hands.

You have a relationship with the Lord of Lords. It doesn’t get any better than that. His grace is sufficient to help us hang unto HIM. Everything else is secondary no matter how well package or marketed to you. Let your loyalty and trust always be only in the God-Man from Galilee.

Make HIM your spiritual sole mate and your soul and spirit will prosper. Let your trust and loyalty be found solely in HIM and nothing else.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

^{Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler}

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“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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