Faith Through the Fire: How God’s Tests Shape Our Character

Our walk with God is rarely a straight line. It may seem that God’s plan for our life has no hope or that we have failed too many times, but if we press forward in faith and trust in Him, God’s plan will prevail. Your faith, character, and perseverance are the key that unlocks God’s plan for you. With unwavering faith, you can overcome any obstacle and see God’s plan unfold in your life, empowering you to face any challenge with confidence.

What God has spoken to or declared for you is not a distant memory. The dream He placed in you is not dormant but active, vibrant, and alive in you, waiting to be activated. It is never too late, you are never too lost, and the Lord can restore the value lost over the years, even the time you thought was wasted (Joel 2:25).

Satan will try to direct your focus onto all the time you’ve wasted and the things you did not do or should have done. He wants you to be disillusioned and hopeless, to beat yourself up and be so focused on yourself that God cannot help others through you. His goal is to dim our light so those around us cannot find their way out of the darkness, but we must resist this and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us.

God tests us before he promotes us, so we must understand how we should think, speak, and act when faced with life’s tests and trials. This understanding should fuel your determination and steadfastness, knowing that God’s plan is worth the perseverance and that you can overcome any challenge.

Why does God test us?

Although God’s tests are not always pleasant, they are always good for us. Tests serve a vital purpose for believers. They reveal and develop our character, ensuring we are ready for what He has planned. He will not promote us prematurely because we will fail without the right character and mindset.

I remember growing up and hating the tests we had to take every six weeks and at the end of the term. They were tedious and stressful and always took much longer than I expected (or wanted). Although I found them challenging, afterward, I knew where I stood. I could see my strengths and weaknesses. I knew what I was capable of and the areas I needed to work on, and I could move on to the next level and succeed. The trials and tests we face in life are rarely as simple or predictable as tests in school, but things that test our character rarely are.

When God sees we are not ready to be promoted, He tests us, not for His information, but ours. Our faith and character are revealed when we are tested; what we go through helps develop us into who we need to be. God wants to know if He can trust you to be faithful and trust Him no matter the circumstances. If you will have the right character in the worst conditions. Can God trust you to be faithful and trust Him despite the hardship you may face? He is looking at who we are in heart and mind and wants to see us grow in character and faith and, when we pass the test, to promote us.

God Tests Joseph’s Character

Joseph’s story in Genesis illustrates what God frequently tests in all believers: our faith, character, and perseverance in the face of trials. These themes are central throughout his journey, which spans thirteen chapters, starting in Genesis 37.

God gave Joseph a dream, but he faced numerous trials before its fulfillment. Sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned, Joseph endured these hardships without complaint or despair. He did not let his circumstances compromise who he was. His continued faith and trust despite his circumstances led to God’s anointing in everything he did, paving the way for the dream’s realization.

Psalm 105:19 (NLT) highlights why Joseph faced such rigorous testing and why all believers do. The scripture tells us that God tested Joseph until the time came to fulfill his dream. The focus of these tests wasn’t on Joseph’s abilities but on his character. Why? It wasn’t because God didn’t know, but so that Joseph could learn what he was capable of and for his faith, character, and resilience to grow. Joseph’s character helped the entire nation of Egypt and his family.

Passing the Tests

God will allow you to go through things not because He is building your character. You need to develop three essential things to pass the test and step into God’s plan for you: faith, character, and resilience. Faith builds character and character, in turn, builds resilience.

Joseph’s story exemplifies these tests. When Joseph was sold into slavery, he had only a divine promise from God based on a dream. This promise, which God had shown him, was a vision of his potential. Joseph clung faithfully to that vision, ultimately transforming it into reality.

Joseph tested his character in many ways, including resisting temptation from Potiphar’s wife, fleeing her advances, and demonstrating his integrity. His resilience was evident when he remained faithful and optimistic despite imprisonment for a crime he didn’t commit. Even in prison, God’s favor continued to be upon him. Your character is with you wherever you are; changing it begins within.

God’s testing is not about anger or disappointment but refining your character. If you’ve given up on a dream because of your circumstances, remember that your life experiences contribute to character development. Failure is not the end; it can be a stepping stone. Your response to failure is crucial: use it as an opportunity to learn and grow. When faced with challenges, it’s important to bounce back and continue moving forward. Don’t let failure define you—learn from it and persist.

Conclusion

The Bible doesn’t promise a life free of failure or difficulty, but it does guide us to confront these challenges with faith and resilience. As Jeremiah 20:12 (NKJV) highlights, God tests the righteous to reveal what is in their hearts.  It is during testing that God reveals our inner thoughts and attitudes. We have a choice to make if what is revealed isn’t what it should be. Do we wallow in our shortcomings or get up and make a change? It’s crucial to transform our mindsets, move beyond our feelings, and focus on faith. Commit to righteousness, align your life with God’s will, and strive to reflect the righteousness and character our Heavenly Father wants us to have no matter the circumstances.

 

The information expressed above is excerpted from the sermon “How To Past the Test” preached by Dr. Lee A. Simpson. You can listen to the complete sermon on our YouTube channel.