TOOLS THAT PREPARE US FOR GREATNESS

           “You have tested us, O God;    you have purified us like silver. You captured us in your net and laid the burden of slavery on our backs. Then you put a leader over us. We went through fire and flood, but you brought us to a place of great abundance.” (Ps 66:8-12 NLT)

1.      Tests

A test is a tool that God can and would use to check our motives. It causes us to search our hearts. A test separates the real from the fake, the true from the false, the right from the wrong, the silver form the dross, the wheat from the tares.

A test is usually from God. Only God has the permission to test people because he sees the hearts and understands the intricate nature of human beings. Of course men set up tests but only in the parameters of the known and clearly established fields like subjects of study e.g. Engineering, Chemistry math’s etc. You can never be tested on what you have never been taught.

When undergoing a test there is an aspect or a tendency to be confused especially so when (or because) you do not have all the answers. Do you remember the litmus paper test in High school? I always wondered which one turns out red or blue.

         

One of the biblical person who was really tested was Abraham. I try to imagine what was going on in Abraham’s as he set out to go and sacrifice his son Isaac. It is a possibility that he wondered whether it was God or the devil speaking to him (Ge 22:1-2 NKJV).

2.      Limitations

Limitations are hindrances/barriers/lids/prisons that we encounter daily or we put on ourselves or other people put on us. Limitations force us to think, be intelligent, to manage our resources faithfully or become skillful and innovative.

When God puts a certain limitation on you it’s for your good.

He seeks to help you pay now so you can play later, cry now so you can laugh later, mourn now so you can rejoice later, lack now so that you can enjoy abundance later.

In an atmosphere of limited resources God will grows your skills and enhance your faithfulness level. Your limited boundaries today may just be a preparation for your future expansion.

Jesus said whoever has, more will be given to him, he also said whoever is faithful with little will also be faithful in much.

Limitation usually frustrates. They make us uncomfortable with the status quo. They challenge us to reach out for something great than we already have.

It sound like a contradiction that Abraham, whom God had called to be the Father of many nations, had only one son and that He and his wife were barren for a whole century.

Jabez also knew what limitation is when he made the following prayer: "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested.” (1Ch 4:10 NKJV)

His limitations challenged him to think out of the box and reach out to someone greater, and pray for expansion.

3.      Burdens

Burdens are things or issues that weigh heavily on us. They increase our inertia and force us to slow down. When burdened we need great energy/strength/ability to move around. They challenge our independence; increase our interdependence and reliance on God and people. The measure of your burdens is an indicator of level of your responsibilities. Irresponsible people cannot shoulder a burden. They whine and complain and can never be great people. Burdens come wearing tags like financial, relational/social, service/work burdens or even spiritual burdens.

Burdened people can easily get discouraged, become hostile and give in, if they don’t watch their attitude.

Paul the apostle once said, “I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?” (2Co 11:27-29 NLT)

The writer of proverbs reminds us that, “If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small.” (Pr 24:10 NLT)

4.      Trials

Trials are not tests. Trials are tough and overwhelming. A test can be executed in our mind and heart but a trial would include physical pain. They not only challenge the quality of our choices but also may involve physical and emotional affliction. Abraham was tested but Job was tried.

The Bible says, “We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.” (Jas 5:11 NLT)

Joseph was both tested and tried (Ps 105:16-19 NLT). Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego were tried. Saul and Hezekiah were tested.

All the four things whether tests, limitations, burdens or trials can be tools that God can and will use to bring out the best in us and consequently promote us to greatness. It’s not a pleasant experience to go through any of these but God’s grace can carry us through when we rely on him. He promises in Psalm 66:8-12 to bring us to rich fulfillment, to bring us to the place of abundance in Him.

So despite what you may going through, I would like to encourage you that your tests, limitations, burdens and trials are not meant to kill you or just hurt you for the sake of it. They may be calling for a response of greatness in you and God will bring you to a place of rich fulfillment if you trust Him.