Does God test us?

Original image URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aftab/4224575176/
Title: Hope

God does not test us in the sense that he wants to see whether we pass or fail, whether our faith is strong or not. Do we encounter tests in our faith throughout our lives? Oh, absolutely. However, these tests are tests that life gives us, not God, and they allow us to experience the strength of our faith.

When are lives are going great it is easy to thank God for all of our blessings, and say to ourselves, “Of course there’s a God! Look at all he’s done!” But what about those times, when our days look bleak, and it’s hard to discern exactly what blessings are coming your way. These are the times when our faith is tested, but God loves us no matter how we respond to these tests or trials. God’s love for us is always abounding. The true test is whether we remain open to that love even when it’s not easy. Everyone has faced trials in his or her life. Even Jesus prayed for strength in the garden, “‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.’ And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him” (Lk 22:41-43).When you’re going through trials, who can you turn to for strength of mind, strength of body, strength of faith? Turn to family, friends, and the Church, but also turn to God. Pray. St. Thérèse of Lisieux writes, “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.”

So use prayer as a way to bring yourself closer to God. To embrace more fully the love that God has for you during your joyous times, your mediocre times, and your trials. Let your heart surge and overfill with the love of God, and let that be your strength through every moment of your life. 

This is your test. Challenge yourself.