Have you ever done something wrong? Of course you have. It is not possible to have gone through life having never made a mistake or consciously choosing to do what you know was wrong. As children we are corrected by our parents and over time we learn how to live and coexist in the world around us. Then we later have educators who teach us how the world works. They repeatedly test us to see our weak areas, so we can focus more intently on our studies and do better the next time we are tested.

Testing is important in our lives to show us our weaknesses, but did you know we should always be testing what is in our lives ourselves.

We might then go onto college or into some specialty school. There we continue to learn in a more focused fashion. We have a goal in mind, and all our education leans in that direction. Educators continue to test us to see how we are progressing. Each test shows us how we are doing in any given area. The educator may add notes or advice and we begin to understand where to focus our attention, how we can better our score and what is expected of us in the future. Then we head out into the workforce.

Though not usually tested in the workplace, we are given reviews, progress reports, or some sort of feedback on the job we are doing. Though not a physical test, it is essentially the same process. We have been overseen and are given feedback. We are either rewarded for doing well—getting a good score, or we are told how we can improve—shown our mistakes. We then learn what to work on for future positive results.

A higher testing

As Christians we are also tested by God. He wants to know if we will stand by Him and His Word even when times are tough. In fact, when we think we are at our best is when we are often tested more, to prove to us that we aren't perfect. No one can say they are perfect or without sin. Sin is a breaking of God's law, and if we break that law, we are failing the test. It means we have not learned everything we were to learn and must now “up our score.”

God will sometimes allow Satan to test us (Luke 22:31; Job 1:12). Satan loves to get to us, to pull us away from God, but our loving God knows that we are capable of resisting Satan's pull. It is a test. Will we pass with flying colors, or will we fail miserably? It is truly up to us.

Testing makes us more prepared for the difficult times to come. It strengthens us. David wrote, “God, you have tested us, as people test silver with fire” (Psalms 66:10, English Standard Version). We are put to the fire, and if we are full of impurities we will come out blemished and weak, unable to stand up to being formed into one of God's people. However, if we have put the time into study, prayer and following God's way, we will come out of the fire strong and malleable. Ready for God to form us into the beings He wants us to be.

Is Christ in you?

Testing is important in our lives to show us our weaknesses, but did you know we should always be testing what is in our lives ourselves? Paul tells us to “test everything and keep what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). If we do, we will make good choices in life and live as God wants. We also read: “Look closely at yourselves. Test yourselves to see if you are living in the faith. Don’t you realize that Christ Jesus is in you? Of course, if you fail the test, He is not in you. But I hope you will see that we have not failed the test” (2 Corinthians 13:5-6). Then John warns, “My dear friends, many false prophets are in the world now. So don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God” (1 John 4:1).

God's physical testing of us is what makes us spiritually strong. Just as we may go to a tutor to help us get our grades up. God's testing is something we should seek out. David wrote, “God, examine me and know my mind. Test me and know all my worries” (Psalms 139:23). He also says: “Look closely at me, Lord, and test me. Judge my deepest thoughts and emotions” (Psalms 26:2). Even our thoughts can betray us. We think we have the answer, but we may be very wrong.

Life is a test in one form or another. What it comes down to is how much time we are willing to put into passing those life tests and more importantly the ultimate tests that are given by the most awesome of teachers, God Himself.