Another Test!?!? as understood by (me!) ~tops
writeousmom memory -my children in their younger school years.. moaning on the way to school, "yuck.. we have a test today"
and very often i would respond by saying, "you're always being tested, only sometimes they tell you."
and in school, academically speaking.. there are very many tests. and save the pop quiz style, for the most part, you know about these tests in advance.. and you study/learn.. sometimes there is even a practice test... and eventually "the test"
and all of these tests are of an information nature: spelling, writing, math, history...
but for Christians, there are also an enormous amount of tests... unannounced... and life long.
-how do you act when you don't get your way?
-how well can you wait... how long? without getting a bad attitude...
-can you keep someone's personal information; -personal
-how do you treat people? treat people the world deems important? treat people the world would disregard?
-how do you handle lack? how do you handle plenty?
-how do you handle when someone else is blessed/successful -in the very areas you wish you were; but are not? how do you handle your own successes and/or failures?
-how do you handle rejection? how do you handle popularity?
-how successful can you be without forgetting how you got there? can you be in a dark place, and not lose faith?
-do you trust God? are you trustworthy?
-how quickly can you forgive? others; yourself...
-who is determining your value as human being?
-what are you allowing to influence you?
-are you clear about your motives? can you properly discern who should and should not be in your social circle?
-do you have a clear conscience? open heart?
-what/who do you care about? -how well defined are your boundaries?
-how quick can you recover from insult/injury? -exercise compassion; not pity..
-how easy are you to manipulate? -to belittle?
can you seek first to understand; then be understood?
how do you behave when no one is looking? are you pitiful or powerful?
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that's a short list. but if you listen long enough to any Bible teacher.. you will learn, that across the board, Christians interpret all of life as a kind of ongoing spiritual/character test. And every day; decade; age; season offers new opportunities to celebrate, improve, grow...
and, when you pass a test in school.. you have sometimes understood; sometimes properly memorized without true understanding; sometimes both understood and memorized something.. but a grade is given A+ for example.
but God doesnt hand out physical report cards; it's more telepathic in nature
[is there a word, similar to telepathic, but replaces 'thoughts' with 'feelings'? or combines the two?]
how do you know when you are passing spiritual/character tests?
peace where chaos once reigned
love replaces hate
joy replaces the blahs
generosity replaces selfishness
patience replaces short-tempers
forgiveness replaces grudges
on and on... quality of your inner-person life; experienced and interpreted..
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lots of examples in the Bible.. but, let's take a popular one: Noah's drunkeness/nakedness
one child exploited/shamed his father -shem and jephath covered/respected.
***
in this age of 'gotcha journalism' 'caughtcha social media'
isn't is fascinating how historical Bible lessons remain so relevant.
***
but write now, in our lives... Robert and I...
we both interpret our lives as existing, still! in due season.. -having passed many character tests and spiritual tests.. having survived our individual pits; wildernesses
having fought the good fight of faith..
and keeping God first forever!
we repeat almost daily, -such a big happy sigh of relief really...
we made it! we are in it! we are living inside and experiencing the promises! in the blessings!
and so we know they are true! -and, we have no expectation that life is easy/breezy from here on out
but we have acquired along the way the spiritual tools; lessons required to do exactly what Joyce Meyer teaches
enjoy everyday life! amen & amen.
wait! i agree with Joyce Meyer's teachings on the subject... she says, in God's hands, you can never really 'fail' a test. -you take it over and over until you pass...
i live this way.. in daily encounters/experiences:
another test. and internally, without a physical report card.. i know what God knows
either "i passed!" or "darn it... gonna have to take that one again."
and something positive happened inside me, when.. when i started to interpret daily challenges/obstacles/setbacks as 'adversity training'
i continue to whisper that to myself on an as-needed basis... here we go, more adversity training..
i love my life now! Thank You Jesus! amen.
posted by SANDRA HARRISON KAY @ 8:58 AM
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