Instead of Fear: What God Gives You When You Let Go of FearSampel

Day 7: Testing… Testing

Susan began to sweat. And her nose began to run.

Every test day, her geometry teacher flipped the desks around to face the clock, which had a funny but not-so-encouraging sign below it: “Time will pass. Will you?”

The teacher went down the rows to hand a quiz to each student. At Susan’s desk, he added a box of tissues. Each test, quiz, and exam brought on such incredible internal anxiety that her body just had to show off. “God help me,” she whispered under her breath.

Looking back, Susan recalled that the accomplishments of her educated parents and her own  “fear” of failing actually worked in her favor. She worked hard. She took school seriously. She didn’t become miraculously good at math, but overall her work ethic paid off.

When Moses brought the 10 Commandments before the people in the desert—with the ram’s horn blowing and the mountain thundering—they were understandably afraid. God was showing them His power and that He was serious about these laws. But He didn’t want to scare them away.

God wanted to instill respect for His Word and to test their desire to obey Him out of more than fear of reprisal—He wanted their obedience to foster a close relationship. 

Testing tells the truth of what you know and where you need to grow. When God tests you, He’s investing in your growth. So when testing comes (and it will), focus on the Lord who loves you and His Word.

Turn your fear into fervor!

Things to Ponder:

• Have you ever failed a test? How did you respond?
• Is God testing you in some way? What do you think He’s trying to teach you?