Did you ever consider that life can be viewed as a school? For those of us who are no longer in formal schools I am sure we can all remember that tests were a part of our learning experience. In the school of life, we see that we are constantly being tested with the daily struggles that come our way. I like the way Pastor Rick Warren puts it: “Life is a school and problems are the curriculum.”1
In order to do well in the school of life it is essential that we let God not only be our teacher but the Bible our textbook. And by letting God be our teacher, it guarantees us, if we follow His instructions, a very joyous life. Again, Pastor Rick Warren adds this important insight: “If you give it to God, He transforms your test into a testimony, your mess into a message, and your misery into a ministry.”2
Another way to view life is that it is training grounds for eternity. God could have chosen to take us to heaven immediately, once we were saved, but He instead, chose to leave us here on earth to accomplish His will and purposes. And the two key reasons, I believe, He left us here, is so we can glorify Him through our worship and deeds and be a part of the Great Commission – sharing the Gospel with a sick and dying world.
Throughout our lifetime God will send various trials and tests our way, not because He wants to hurt us, but because He loves us and wants to be able to use us and show us how important it is to become totally dependent on Him. And just as in school, tests allow the teacher to monitor our progress, tests from God allow Him to see how dependent we are on Him. We see this pattern of testing in Scripture when we read: “And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” (Deuteronomy 8:2). The psalmist even told God that he was thankful for these trials and tests, when he proclaimed: “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.” (Psalm 119:71).
Not only that but Moses told the people that God would send tests their way to help them learn to reverence Him more for who He is. For we read: “And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.’” (Exodus 20:20). I believe, one of the greatest ways to learn to become dependent on God and keep His commandments is to develop a holy reverence for just who God is. When we do this we will thank God for the trials He sends because we will meditate on His goodness, His greatness, and His divine purposes in these tests. We will also realize that these tests and trials become new opportunities to bring glory to God.
When we reverence God for who He is we will want to obey His commandments thus demonstrating our love for Jesus. Remember that God never sends a trial our way to hurt us. But instead, He uses them to conform us more to the image of His Son and build up our faith. And the more we reflect the nature of God the more we will be used to glorify His name.
1 700 QUOTES BY RICK WARREN [PAGE – 14] | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)
2 700 QUOTES BY RICK WARREN [PAGE – 14] | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)