The TEST will end after you PASS.

I found myself thinking about God’s tests for us yesterday.

The Lord reminded me that in the same way that trials come to make us stronger, tests come to hone us. The key thing about tests is that once you are given it, you have to pass it in order for you to move on to the next level. The thing that happens to most of us is that as Christians, we all want to get to the next level but few of us want to experience the tests that the Lord uses to get us there.

I am writing to tell you tonight, if you want the fruits of the Spirit, you have to pass your test. If you want the spiritual gifts, you have to pass the test. If you want to get more blessings, you have to pass the test. If you want to go to new spiritual heights, you must pass the test. The Lord’s tests are just like SAT or CSEC, there is no if, nor but, nor maybe, you have to pass the test in order to move up. In fact, if you fail, you will continue to resit that exam until you do pass.

A few years ago, about 3 years into my Christian journey, I found myself with a test I just couldn’t seem to get pass. My mother and I hit a roadblock! This was a serious problem! We were always arguing! No matter what the issue, we were just too capable of hitting each other’s buttons. It got to the point where I hated going home and I would spend hours begging God to remove me from the pure hell of the situation.

God didn’t seem to answer and I just kept taking the same approach to the problem. I just continued hitting it with a sledgehammer. Each time I hit it with that sledgehammer, I would hit my fingers also. There was no WIN-WIN.

This went on for almost a year. I was at the end of my rope and planning to move out. One day, the Lord’s silence on the matter changed. He asked me, “How long do you intend to use the strategy that always causes you to fail the test? YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR STRATEGY!”

At first I was puzzled. Change my strategy? It took me a couple weeks but then I realized something, each time the issues came up, I always had something to say! Why not try silence? THE SILENCE WORKED!!! Eventually mom got tired and just left me to do what was needed and for the first time in a long while, I experienced pure inner peace. And you know what? I got top-ups on my love, long-suffering, temperance, meekness and faith accounts.

This short fuse was no more. You have to pass the test to get the reward. You have to graduate from being a spiritual child before you are considered a spiritual adult. You have to pass the test at a level in order to move on to the next.

What is causing you to fail your test?