Have you noticed that God gets blamed for a lot of things; not just natural disasters, but even personal disasters in people's lives? And you've probably heard this standard line often comes up, "God is testing you." But is God really testing you?
About a year and a half ago, I was talking to a friend who had just been laid off from work. He said to me, "If God is testing me, I sure hope He realizes that I'm only a "C" student."
People use the phrase, "God is testing me," quite a bit. But if you look at it honestly, what does that mean? It means that whatever calamity you are trying to deal with, God is the one who engineered it and brought it into your life. Why would He do this? Does He have nothing better to do than test people?
Some would argue that, "this test is to help you become stronger." Really? If that is the reason then why have so many people, who have run into difficult times, not come out stronger? In fact some have even ended up in total despair?
I guess they just failed the test. That's too bad for them. Oh well, on to the next person and their test; let's see what they can do.
How absurd to think that God goes around testing people knowing that the test for some will end up in utter despair. Does that sound like a loving God? No. it sounds like some sort of diabolical entity.
The next time someone confidently informs you that God is "testing" you, ask them a question. Ask, "How do you know that God is testing me? Did He tell you?" If that doesn't stop them, then ask, "And just how long is this test, since you know so much about what God is doing in my life?"
But don't bother to ask them why God is testing you. They will most likely tell you that God works in mysterious ways, or something similar. Let's save the "God is mysterious" debate for another day.
The problem is that far too many sincere, well intentioned people are just in the habit of saying, "God is testing you. God works in mysterious ways. God must have a reason for letting this happen to you."
I don't know which God people are talking about, but the God of the Bible does not go around making life hard for people just to "test" them or make them stronger. God doesn't take someone's job away so that they can become stronger by having no income. He doesn't give people diseases, or cause loved ones to die.
Now I am fully aware that in serious or tragic situations, one might certainly look to God more than ever, asking for His help. Who better to turn to in a crisis? But God did not cause the crisis, and I get so tired of hearing God getting blamed for so much evil.
God is our Father; we are His children. I'm a dad. Would I hold back my daily supply of food for my children just to make them stronger? Would I intentionally give them a cold just to test them and see how they react? Would I murder their brother?
Some may think that last paragraph crossed the line. And yet, God Almighty, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, our heavenly Father, gets blamed for things like that every single day. If I did those things, I would be arrested, and rightly so. But God just works in mysterious ways?
The God of the Bible is not mysterious. His intentions are clearly recorded in the scriptures, both Old and New Testaments. One can clearly read of His promises of help and deliverance; prosperity and help; joy and peace; solutions and victory.
So you can chose to take everybody else's word, and wonder why God is testing you and why He thinks it will make you stronger. Or you can decide take Him at His Word and believe Him, and then get the results that He promised.
I told my friend who had just been laid off from work that God wasn't testing Him. I told him that God wanted to help him and that if he trusted God, God would bring him a solution. He took my advice, and found a job in less than a week.
God is a very loving Father who wants to bless and take care of His kids.