We all know that athletes need endurance training for physical stamina and mental toughness. When game time arrives, he or she will be ready to do battle and will have a greater chance at victory. If the athlete does not go through the necessary preparedness, he or she may not even be allowed into the game.

It's the same in our walk with God. We really shouldn't expect that we can just ask God for some great position in life with out any preparation. It's the tests and trials that He allows us to go through that are what prepare us for the greater things He has in store in the future.

There are two reasons why God tests us. The first reason is:

1. To Produce Patience

James 1:2-3 tells us, "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

There is a huge misunderstanding of what the word "patience" actually means. Most people will say that it means to "wait." But, that's not true. If you look up the word "patient" in Webster's Dictionary it actually means to bear trials without complaining.

God doesn't want to hear someone complain anymore than you want to hear someone complain. Not only that, but complaining only reinforces your situation. Whatever you talk about and focus on becomes magnified.

God uses tests and trials to bring patience into our lives because He wants us to develop a good attitude. A good attitude then, will make us the kind of person God can use. We will become perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

The second reason God tests us is:

2. To Make You Perfect, Complete, and Lacking Nothing

James 1:4 says, "Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

God sometimes allows storms into our lives to test us so that He may accomplish a purpose in us. And, that purpose is to prepare us for greater things (Psalm 107).

If you're facing some challenges in your life today, just ask God to hold you up, strengthen you, and help you learn what He is trying to teach you.

Keep in mind that not all storms in your life are from God. Many times, you can create your own storms by making poor decisions. The best thing to do in these cases is to ask God to help you learn from your mistakes.

God can use your own storms to teach you things and use them to bring you increase. Always remember Romans 8:28, "All things work together for good to them who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose."

Be encouraged if things are not what you think they should be. God has a wonderful plan for your life and He may just be working on the inside of you right now. Maybe you're just learning patience. If you've already learned patience, maybe patience is having it's perfect work, making you perfect and complete, to where you will lack nothing.

Copyright 2006 Daniel N Brown