“The Lord tests the righteous” (Psalms 11:5)

Everything that happens to a saint is either caused or allowed by God, including trials. While some blame second causes, saints are told to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2-3). The Greek word translated “patience” means “stay under”, and for the Christian, it means, trials are designed to teach you to stay under the Lordship of Christ when your flesh screams “run!”, and your Old Man recommends, “go back into sin”.

“We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed - always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body” (2 Corinthians 4:7-10).

When the Apostle Paul was given a thorn in his flesh, he asked God to remove it three times. God gave him (and us) a great gift. God said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul realized the precious gift, and said, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

It’s up to you whether or not you pass or fail the test when your flesh and Old Man want you to get out from under the Lordship of Christ. “By your patience possess your souls” (Luke 21:19). Stay under the Lordship of Christ, and you’ll pass the test.