Many people feel anytime they pray to God, how to discern that God doesn't show consent is the presence of challenges. That is not true. There is nothing humans get involved in that doesn't have its challenges. Whether you are born again or not you will face challenges. So let us quit thinking those who are not born again are not going through challenges like you are; you now decide to attack your commitment to God, you stop praying, you stop fasting, you stop believing God and you stop associating with Christians of like-minded due to the difficulties. The truth is that many are in the same difficulty as you are that made deny your commitment to God, some are even in gross difficulty and their commitment to God is not shaking.
The bitter truth is when you quit serving God because of adverse circumstances, difficulties and challenges, it will not stop challenges from coming, they will still come rushing you. The life of Job in the Bible is a beautiful piece to read. There are great lessons there about this subject. Let me give a background story of Job right here:
"Here's a summary of the life of Job:
Job, a righteous and blameless man, faced unimaginable hardships. Satan took away:
- His children
- His wealth
- His health (afflicting him with painful sores)
Three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, came to comfort him, but instead, they accused him of sinning and told him to repent. They urged him to "curse God and die" (Job 2:9). They advised him to attack his commitment to God. Despite his suffering and friends' discouragement, Job remained faithful, saying:
- "Though He slays me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15)
- "I know my Redeemer lives, and He will stand on the earth in the latter days" (Job 19:25)
After weeks of suffering, God finally spoke to Job, revealing His power and wisdom. Job humbly acknowledged God's sovereignty, saying:
- "I am unworthy; I retract my words and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:6)
God restored Job's health, wealth, and family, giving him twice what he had before. Job's faith and perseverance in the face of adversity made him an example of righteousness and a testament to God's faithfulness.
We saw that Job acknowledged the sovereignty of God. To acknowledge is to have a precise and accurate knowledge or understanding of someone. So we could say Job was ignorant of God's nature. It is beautiful to know the nature of God before you ask why God put those challenges, sicknesses or takes away your relative knowing how you have served him faithfully. That is never God.
John 10:10-11
[10]The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
[11]I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
The Thief is the devil and he has a duty not just today from Adam till now to steal from you, kill and destroy. But God's love is seen in Jesus and how he wants you to have life in abundance(richly). Your question still is "Why does God tempt me with evil", with circumstances to know my faith or what? Well God will never tempt you with evil. God's Word tells us that:
James 1:13
[13]Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
James made us see that God will never tempt you with evil.
1 Corinthians 10:13
[13]There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are ABLE; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
The word able means that you have the capacity and ability to face the devil's challenges, temptation or any adverse circumstances. The last line of 1 Corinthians 10:13 says God will always make a way out of that escape and you will be able to endure it!
So you can endure any kind of challenge that comes your way! Instead of saying "God why me" rather stay calm knowing fully well that in the storm Jesus was sleeping. Sometimes a little sleep during the storm will go a long way.
In the second part of this, we will look at how to scale through challenges and I am going to share one thing that I learnt in the challenges that came my way this year.
But always remember, God is not the one afflicting you, His love is to give you an abundance of life. And he will always make a road of escape for you in that storm. Amen.
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