From TEST to TESTIMONY

You don’t have a testimony without a test. For us to have an outstanding testimony, it requires not only thinking outside the box, but stepping out. If all we do is live in our “possible”, we’ll rarely see God move in our life. God takes the “impossible to man” and makes it possible (Lk 18:24). So if you’re able to shoulder the task, it could be that you won’t need God, and the danger is to do it on your own, without involving the help of the Holy Spirit who would otherwise add the “AWESOME” to the task.

God usually gives us ideas, dreams and even tasks that are too big for us; to where it’ll take a “miracle” for it to happen. It can be fairly simple tasks, yet that are difficult for us, such as shining your light everywhere you go, or standing up to someone who’s in the wrong, or sharing the Gospel with your siblings, etc.

If you try to do the Master’s work without the Master’s power, you’ll be tackling an impossible task. You can strive and wrestle in your own strength all you want, but you’ll be faced with frustration, exasperation and irritation.

Reminds me of the little boy who was trying very hard to lift a heavy object, when his father walked into the room and said, “Are you using all your strength?” “Yes, of course I am,” the boy replied in frustration. “No you’re not,”   the father answered, “you are not. You have not asked me to help you.” A little help from the Lord is the biggest help you can get. John 15:5 says, “Without Me you can do nothing.”

We face tests and trials everyday. The Christian life requires us to constantly make choices. Some are easier to make if you’ve turned the choice into a commitment, but until you’ve made it a habit to always choose God’s Word, you’ll wrestle. The easiest, of course, is to always choose God’s way, then you’ll be walking under His umbrella of protection (Ps 91).

Sometimes, the very thing we don’t want is what God wants for us. Our unwillingness is usually related to our pride. He does some things to humble us and later He may repeat the same lesson to make sure we’re still humble. Humility and yieldedness are so important to God, because the name of the game in Christianity is to “deny ourselves” (Mat 16:24).

Remember Moses at the age of 40 was cocky and overconfident and he tried to free his people in his own strength, but he was a flop and ended up running for his life. It took God 40 more years to teach him humility and dependence, until Moses no longer wanted to do the job. Then, he was ready. Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity. When you come to the end of yourself, then God has a chance to use you.

It’s hard to be humble and broken. Sometimes it almost makes you feel like you want to die. But then you’re willing to live – – for Jesus. For only from such death to self, can life be born again (John 12:24, 25). “For it is no longer you that live, but Christ that lives in you, and you are now dead and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Gal 2:20, Col 3:3).

So if you feel you are nothing and you’re no good – – cheer up! When you’re so weak that you don’t feel capable or sufficient, then God has a chance to take over and use you. Surrender and yield. That’s the easy way.

Consider the tests in life as a stepping stone to a testimony. Tests are there for a reason. They cause us to grow. When you choose God, you’ll come out victorious and you’ll have a testimony, but if you don’t, try again until you get it. Just don’t let your heart get hardened which will lead to bitterness. “Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee” (Ps 55:22).