Beloved, do not be surprised when you pass through seasons of brokenness and testing. These times, though painful, are not without purpose. They are God’s way of refining us, revealing the steadfast love of Christ, and drawing us closer to Him. The Apostle Peter reminds us, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test you, as though something strange or unusual were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12, AMP). For just as gold is tested and purified in fire, so too are we refined, that we might shine all the more brightly in His presence.
Testing is a divine opportunity, beloved. It exposes not only our weaknesses but also strengthens our faith, calling us to choose not only what is good but what is best in God’s sight. In this, we remember the words of the Apostle Paul, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may [learn to] recognize and treasure what is excellent” (Philippians 1:9-10, AMP). God’s testing, in His loving wisdom, invites us to go beyond superficial faithfulness, aligning our hearts fully with His will and His ways.
Enduring Temptation in the Test
Yet know this, dear ones: as you walk through the fires of testing, there is another at work. “Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable]” (1 Peter 5:8-9, AMP). Testing and temptation often come hand-in-hand; while God tests to refine, the enemy tempts to destroy. As you face trials, stand firm, beloved, for the same suffering is experienced by believers around the world, and you are not alone.
In our brokenness, the devil’s lies become louder, enticing us to doubt God’s goodness and to seek an easier path. But, like Jesus in the wilderness, we are called to resist, to root ourselves in faith, and to trust that God is at work even in our suffering. “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts His blessing and favor], who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself complete, confirm, strengthen, and establish you [making you what you ought to be]” (1 Peter 5:10, AMP). This promise is our hope: as we endure and resist, God Himself will establish us, making us steadfast and whole.
Breaking Chains Through Testing: Freedom in Christ
As Jesus tests and purifies us, He also breaks the chains and strongholds we have struggled with, sometimes for all our lives, lifting us to new revelations of His power and love. Each trial becomes an opportunity for Jesus to sever the ties to sin, habits, and fears that once bound us. The Apostle Paul declares this power in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5: “The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ” (AMP). As we submit to His refining work, Jesus not only frees us but calls us upward, drawing us into deeper understanding and closer intimacy with Him.
In His great love, He promises, “So if the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free” (John 8:36, AMP). This freedom is more than just deliverance; it is an invitation to higher revelations, a calling to grow in the knowledge of God and in the fullness of His love. “But grow [spiritually mature] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory [honor, majesty, splendor], both now and to the day of eternity” (2 Peter 3:18, AMP). Through testing, God opens our eyes to His deeper truths, breaking chains and calling us into new life.
Calling on Jesus: Strength in Every Trial
When the trials seem overwhelming, and brokenness feels too heavy to bear, remember, dear one, that we are not left to carry our burdens alone. Jesus, our Savior, calls us to come to Him, to call upon His name, and to find rest. He promised, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, AMP). In the name of Jesus, we find strength to endure, courage to submit, and grace to remain faithful through every test.
The woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:25-34) understood this desperate calling upon Jesus. She had suffered for twelve years, broken in body and spirit. Yet, with faith and boldness, she reached out, touching the hem of His garment, believing that even the smallest contact with Jesus could heal her. And indeed, Jesus turned to her and said, “Daughter, your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be permanently healed from your suffering” (Mark 5:34, AMP). Like her, we too are invited to reach out to Jesus in our brokenness, trusting that He will meet us and make us whole. To call on His name is to declare our reliance on Him, knowing that He is our strength, our healer, and our peace.
Restoration and Wholeness: Emerging from the Test Refined
Beloved, as you call upon Jesus, He does not leave you in brokenness. In His love and mercy, He restores. The Apostle James encourages us, “Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance” (James 1:2-3, AMP). As we endure, we are refined, emerging from our trials with a renewed faith and a heart set on God’s best.
In Christ, brokenness becomes the soil where faithfulness grows. Our testing proves not only our commitment to God but also His commitment to us. The Apostle Paul reminds us that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17, AMP). Through our submission, through every trial, and through each time we call upon His name, we are transformed, restored, and made whole, fit for His purposes.
Embracing What is Best and Walking in His Glory
As we pass through these seasons of testing, beloved, God is not only calling us to endure but to rise in faithfulness, seeking His highest purposes and embracing what is best. At the end of our testing, may we, like Paul, be able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7, AMP). For as we stand faithful through brokenness, as we call upon Jesus in our need, and as we emerge restored, we become a testimony to His glory.
And so, beloved, do not fear the refining fire. Know that each trial, each test, and every call upon the name of Jesus is a step toward wholeness, a journey from brokenness to restoration, proving our faith and aligning us with His eternal purposes. For in Jesus, we find our peace, our strength, and our completeness. Stand firm, for He who has called you is faithful, and in Him, you are made whole.