When I read this verse, I shuddered a bit. I don’t want to be tested. I never liked tests in school. I would prefer God just pat me on the head and tell me I am doing a good job.
But the truth is, tests measure our progress. They show what we have learned and how our skills have improved. As Christians, we are to keep growing in Christ, becoming more and more like him in thought, word, and deed in the Spirit's strength. We need an assessment to be honest before God.
Lately, we have been living through trying times. What was once the norm no longer exists and no one knows if it ever will again. Our ways of working, worshipping, and walking in the Spirit have changed.
And that has brought new challenges. Do you feel more anxious now than you did at the beginning of the year? Or has your faith blossomed and your reliance on Jesus become more consistent? Are you less able to handle the stress or have you embraced it and tried to find the blessings?
Maybe it is time to ask God to examine our minds and hearts and show us if there is anything in us he wants to forgive or change by his grace. The good news is he will keep on patiently teaching us to trust and obey him, whatever the circumstances, as the old hymn says. Especially now, there truly is no other way to be happy in Jesus.
Father, although part of me doesn't want to invite you to examine my heart and mind right now, I realize it is necessary to my growth as a believer. Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to be my tutor and my guide, and your Son, Jesus, to be my example and redeemer. Forgive me when I run away from your truth about me rather than embrace it. Help me to see the good behind the examination. Amen.
Go Deeper — Are you comfortable with inviting God to show you what is going on in your heart and mind? If not, do you know why such an honest appraisal scares you? Invite God to help you see that the Spirit reveals our inner state to us so that we might experience God's forgiveness and transforming power.
Photo Credit: James Wheeler