TESTINGS are meant to EXPOSE our TRUE COLORS!
May 12 Bible
Reading: 2 Chronicles Chapters 31-33
TESTINGS are meant to EXPOSE our TRUE COLORS!
"Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to
him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from
him, in order to test him that He might know all that was in his heart."
(2 Chron. 32:30-31)
Toward the
end of his days, King Hezekiah became ill and even though the Lord healed him,
he failed to respond with proper gratitude initially, and due to this God’s
judgment was imminent upon his life (32:24–25). Realizing his foolishness
quickly, Hezekiah humbled himself and averted God’s anger (v. 26). Not many
days passed from this incident that princes came from Babylon to see the wonders
that God had given Hezekiah. At this time, “God
withdrew from him in order to test him that He might know all that was in his
heart" (v. 31). Hezekiah was tested by God to see how he would deal
with these enemy spies.
Sadly, Hezekiah
failed in this crucial test as he was
carried away by the flattery of the princes from Babylon, and proudly showed
them all his vast treasures. Due to this exposure, the Babylonian princes got
the desire to possess these treasures for themselves. Hezekiah was later rebuked
by prophet Isaiah, who predicted that the information learned by the Babylonian
princes would contribute to Jerusalem’s eventual capture (2 Kings 20:14–18). The chronicler shows clearly that God did
not approve of Hezekiah’s actions as He was testing him!
Just like
God allowed the enemy to come in Hezekiah’s life as He was testing him, God
tests His children time and again. Job is an example of someone whom God tested
by allowing Satan to inflict immense pain and suffering. Another example of a
group of people who were tested by God was the children of Israel as they
wandered 40 years in the wilderness. This was what Moses told the children of
those Israelites who were tested: "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. So He humbled you, allowed you
to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers
know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but
man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord." (Deut.
8:2-3)
It is
possible that God will withdraw from us and expose us to difficulty, satanic
attack, sickness, and troubles at work or within our family for the purpose of
testing us and to know what was really in our hearts. If we intentionally hide
God’s word in our hearts (Psalms 119:11) and let our reactions be guided by
God’s word rather than our feelings, we will pass the testing of God and come
out triumphantly. Let our ‘true colors’
be in line with God’s word when God tests us!
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." (2 Cor 10:4-5)
