Responses to Piper's article

I received a number of emails and comments (comments are good! Keep them coming!) all along the lines of what one precious sister wrote, "So, what if we simply cannot pass the test? Why does God administer it?".

I had to consider that for a long while before I could answer. It's a valid question, particularly for someone who is going through a trial. I can't remember all the times I really felt as if I was at the end of my ability to go on. The thoughts that ran through my mind are still hard to reconcile. So, what if we are at the end of our rope? What if the situation is unbearable? What do we do? We're being tested and we can't go on.

I think the primary question that has to be answered is this, "What is 'being tested'?" I read the article carefully again and found this paragraph:And what is being tested? The answer is given in the way Jesus describes what passing the test looks like. He says, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Faithfulness to Jesus is being tested. Will his loved ones keep trusting him? Will they keep believing that he has their best interest at heart? That he is wise? That he is good? That he is stronger than all?

As I read those words, I realized that it is not our endurance that is being tested. Not in the way we think about endurance as our ability to suffer. But it is our faith that is tested.

Let me explain.

James 1:3 tells us that '...the testing of our faith produces endurance..." What is usually strengthened when it is tested? Well....usually, whatever is tested! In this case, our faith.

I think it's easy to confuse the testing and strengthening of our physical existence with the testing and strengthening of our spiritual existence. It can be very easy to think that 1 Cor 10:13 deals with something other than temptation and may spill over into other areas as well, leading us to believe that something that is unendurable is either not from God or not supposed to be in our life.

Indeed, the trials that enter into our lives are sometimes designed to take us beyond our physical capability to endure them. Otherwise, it is us in our own power that gets us through. It is only when we are spent and without alternatives, only when we are at the end of our own capabilities that we can fully surrender to God. And what do we surrender to Him? I know, in my life, what I have wanted to surrender to Him is the situation or pain I was in so that I could get out of it.

I think God wants something different.

I think He wants us to surrender our faith to Him. To confess that we are at the end of what we can endure but not at the end of our trust in Him. I think He wants us to place ourselves so totally in His hands that we accept and embrace whatever comes next, even if it is physically worse than what come before.

That is passing the test; giving it all up to Him and trusting Him to get us through in His power, in His might, in His mercy and by His grace.......and nothing else. If we can do that. If we can walk through any situation we are in, trusting Him for the end, keeping our confidence in His wisdom and His plan for our lives, then this happens: Heb 10:35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

It is our faith that God wants to test. That is what He wants to endure in our lives. Why? Because He loves us and wants us to grow in an eternal fashion, ever drawing closer to Him, ever being refined, ever relying more and more on Him and less and less on ourselves.

His promises are eternal. Our tests will have an end. We know this is true because the testing is of our faith. The very faith He is testing comes from Him. One day, that faith will be perfected. If we have it, then we can't really fail. All we can do is grow. If not now, then when we stand face to face.

I know this is hard. I struggle with the same questions and I struggle with the answers as well. May we all find our strength in Him!