‘‘Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.’’ Genesis 22:10
We are not all tested in the same ways, but we’ll be tested on the same issues. Consider Abraham. After waiting for twenty years, God gave him a son destined to ‘father…many nations’ (Genesis 17:5). Then God told him to sacrifice that boy on a remote wilderness altar. It didn’t make sense because it contradicted God’s promise, yet Abraham obeyed. Now, it’s unlikely you’ll be called to face the same challenges as Abraham, but, rest assured, you’ll be tested on the same issues. For example, you’ll be tested on your level of commitment. When the going gets tough, will you stay committed to God and obey His Word, or will you look for a way out? When it doesn’t make sense, isn’t fair, and you don’t deserve it, will you trust God and remain faithful to Him? You’ll be tested on the issue of who is in control of your life. When you can see the hand of the Enemy at work or identify the person responsible for your predicament, pressure, or pain, will you remember that ‘all things work together for good’ and God is still running the show? (see Romans 8:28.) Another area where you’ll be tested is on the issue of your faith. When it looked like God was reneging on his promise, yet ‘by faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac’ (Hebrews 11:17). How could a loving father do such a thing? Because he never doubted that God could raise Isaac up, ‘even from the dead’ (v. 19). So when you’re tested, ‘hold fast the profession of [your] faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)’ (Hebrews 10:23).
