Why does God test us?

"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither does He tempt any man: but every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed" (James 1:13-14). Yet we are also told in the same Scriptures that "God did tempt Abraham" when He told him to offer up Isaac (Gen. 22:1). This must have been some other kind of temptation than the one James speaks of; it was certainly not an enticement to do evil. It could not have been, for it is as impossible that God should tempt a man in that way as it is impossible for Him to lie. It was a testing of what was in Abraham; his faith was put into the crucible and came out of it, as we know, as gold tried by fire.

The soul is tested by afflictions as to how far self-will is active; they make manifest the working of sin in us, that we may be able to detect it. God searches us. By this means we learn on the one hand what we are, and on the other what God is for us in His faithfulness and daily care. We are weaned from the world, and our eyes become better able to discern and appreciate what is heavenly.

He humbles us and proves us, that we may know what is in our heart — feeds us with the bread of faith; but it is to do us good in the end.

Why does that goldsmith take such pains and spend time over his crucible in which gold is being refined? Because it is such a valuable thing; he wants to remove the impurities and have it of the finest quality. God permits His people to be put into the crucible and tries them, even by fire, but it is because faith in His estimation is a thing of exceeding value... The fact of the matter is, if we Christians suffer no testings we shall never be anything but weaklings in a spiritual sense. It is the very testings that make us spiritually strong.

In times of trial God is testing His own work, so that His glory and our blessing might be secured. The obedience of faith that came out in Abraham, the endurance of faith that came out in Job, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that was ministered to Paul, the holiness of God and the peaceable fruits of righteousness that were to be produced in the Hebrews — all are results from the testing of God's own work in His saints.

Note, God does not promise a way of escape from the trial, but a way of escape in the trial for the deeply tried mind and heart, so that through this ministry of grace the trial may be borne to the glory of God.

Trials, afflictions, sorrows and sufferings make God a greater reality to the believer and display His gracious favour toward His beloved people... In all his distress and tribulation he had drawn near to God, and God had not failed him, but ministered to his need. The blessing and encouragement he had received from God fitted him to comfort those who are in trouble.

The proving of our faith is much more precious. Gold is for present use, and fire purifies it. The trial of our faith yields for the future something that will not perish... In a coming day the full answer to one question — why these many trials? — will be displayed in glorious splendour. Not one pang will be regretted then. Not one sorrow will be repented of then. Not one tear or trial — passed for ever — will be considered useless then.