Test 4. The final test, when God seems to have
failed
This is probably the hardest faith test of all. How do we
explain to the world around us a faith in a Savior that seems to have failed?
How do we continue to trust God’s Word when it seems that He has not come
through as He promised?
Imagine the grief of the disciples at the cross when Jesus
allowed Himself to be tortured, condemned and finally crucified. "You are
the Messiah! Aren't you.... aren't you?" I can almost hear them asking with
questioning tears. "If you are who you say you are, how could you let them
do this to you?"
The Pharisees and Sadducees mock and taunt Christ followers,
“Some Savior you followed! He can’t even save himself. How could He save you?”
they laugh. Defeated and with broken hearts, the disciples watch as Satan
appears to have achieved the victory. But has he really? Or through this trial
of faith, has God won a greater victory and a greater glory?
True persevering faith is
truly a rare commodity. When push comes
to shove, when rubber meets the road, when the circumstances of life add up,
and all seems to have turned against our favor, most Christians hang their head
and walk away with their faith shattered. But we must stand upon the Word of
God. Our God does not fail. He may appear to fail, to all our natural
sensibilities He has failed, but even in life’s apparent failures, He is still
victorious.
“The season of distress and
anguish before us will require a faith that
can endure weariness, delay, and hunger—a
faith that will not faint though severely tried. The period of probation is
granted to all to prepare for that time… Those who are unwilling to deny self, to agonize before God, to pray long
and earnestly for His blessing, will not obtain it. Wrestling with
God—how few know what it is! How few have ever had their souls drawn out after
God with intensity of desire until every power is on the stretch. When waves of
despair which no language can express sweep over the suppliant, how few cling
with unyielding faith to the promises of God. Those who exercise but little
faith now, are in the greatest danger of falling under the power of satanic
delusions and the decree to compel the conscience. And even if they endure the
test they will be plunged into deeper distress and anguish in the time of
trouble, because they have never made it a habit to trust in God. The lessons
of faith which they have neglected they will be forced to learn under a
terrible pressure of discouragement. We
should now acquaint ourselves with God by proving
His promises.”[i]
The big question is, will we trust God even when He appears
silent, when He appears to have forgotten, when it seems impossible in the
natural realm that He could work now, and when it appears that He has failed??
Will we still trust Him? Only when our faith has been tested by fire is it
truly faith. But let’s not wait for the end time fires of tribulation to prove our faith. Let’s allow God to prove
it now!
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