Heart Exam
Would you like to know what you really believe about God?
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and I’m not talking about what you say you believe, or what you ought to believe, but what you do believe. Would you like to see the truth about you that God sees?
Well, you can. You can actually know what’s way down deep in your heart, and here is how: The next time you suffer, (and I mean suffer hard) watch how you react. Watch how you respond. Watch what happens in your head and heart, listen to what comes out of your mouth, listen to what you think; what expression is on your face. Look at how you react when you get hit broadside with a deep disappointment or a painful affliction. Because nothing reveals the stuff of which your faith is made than tough times. Suffering, whether as a rejection notice, a botched surgery, an unexpected divorce, or a really bad medical report, suffering is the textbook that will teach you what you believe about God. It will teach you who you really are. Suffering has a way of pressing you, squeezing you hard, until out comes either bitterness or blessings, growling or gratitude, fear or faith. Suffering will push you away from God or it will pull you toward Him. In short, hardships and heartaches reveal the truth about what you think is true. Not what you say you believe, but what you believe.
I’m sure this is why the Bible tells us to, “Rejoice in suffering” and “Welcome trials as friends.” The Bible knows how hard it is to trust God when you get blindsided by hardships. It knows we need help. But oh, friend, if we will but welcome that trial as a friend – even if we don’t feel like welcoming it – if we can but grit our teeth and by faith say, “Yes, God is up to something in this painful situation, and I’m not going to complain, I’m not going to become embittered, or turn my back on the Lord. I’m going to hold onto Jesus, even though I don’t feel like it, because then I’ll know what I’m really made of. So this trial is not going to get the best of me; instead, it’s going to be my friend; it’ll draw out the best of my beliefs!”
It’s what happened to the Israelites when they were in the desert. It says in Deuteronomy Chapter 8 that God caused the tough times to “Test them, to see what was (here it comes) in their hearts.” True, God already knows what’s in your heart. He just wants you to know what’s in your heart. You may be facing deep disappointments today: loneliness, the loss of a job, financial worries, chronic pain, or an important relationship on the rocks. It is so hard. But it’s also strangely helpful. Because when you find out who you are and what you really believe, you are way, way ahead of most people because you know the truth about yourself, and remember, the truth always sets you free.
So, the next time hardship hits you broadside, check your attitude, check your actions and words. In fact, you can ask yourself even now; if you feel you are far from where you want to be in your walk with Christ, ask yourself, what have your recent trials revealed to you about your faith and trust in the God of the Bible? Well, close the gap between what you say you believe, and what you really believe. See suffering as a wise school master, showing you the truth that’s inside your heart. To learn more about how sufferings connect us to the Lord Jesus, please follow Joni and Friends on Facebook, or visit our resource page at joniandfriends.org.
© Joni and Friends
