This week's scriptures: Numbers 19:1-22:1; Judges 11:1-33; Hebrews 9:11-28; John 3:10-21.

Time and time again during their journey through the desert, the Children of Israel grumbled against God. The most common complaints were: 'Why did you bring us up out of slavery in Egypt only to let us die in the desert?', 'Why did you bring us to this terrible place?' and 'Where are the blessings we were promised?'

This week's Torah passage includes two such instances of grumbling. The first was at Meribah, where complaints about water shortages led to Moses and Aaron petitioning God, who provided water miraculously from a desert rock. The second was en route around the land of the Edomites, when the people began complaining once again, this time provoking God to anger.

Time and time again in the life of faith, God puts us to the test using worldly circumstances. These may not involve a literal lack of food and water, but how many of us have not at times cried out to God: 'Why have you brought me to this terrible place?' or 'How am I supposed to get through this?' But even though the journey of faith necessarily involves difficulty, in this there is great purpose and opportunity – it just depends on our response.

Why Does God Test Us?

Nobody argues that Christianity is simply about being stoic and somehow mustering up the courage or patience to cope with difficult circumstances in a way that others can't. Trials are natural irritants: they inflame our emotions (whether fear, frustration, anger or pride) whether we like it or not. They disturb us, make us feel vulnerable and in need, and violate the settled boundaries of our hearts. They provoke us. Why does God allow (even purpose) such experiences?

First, testing reveals what is truly in our hearts (Deut 8:2). I believe that God is less concerned about the natural emotions induced by difficult circumstances than He is about our response to those emotions. We may feel fearful of the future, or angry about a certain happening, or injured in our pride, but will we harden ourselves to God as a result, or run to Him for shelter and the solution?

We may accept the free gift of salvation, but the true depth of this commitment is only revealed when the heat is on. God desires to prove us: is our devotion genuine? Just how far will we go for Him? Or are we the seed fallen on rocky ground (Matt 13) – only interested in God insofar as it benefits us, ready to bail when things get difficult?

Secondly, difficult circumstances give God opportunities to transform us that 'normal' circumstances do not. Just like the process of refining gold, the fire of God's testing brings the impurities in our hearts to the surface (this is painful and humbling for we have to acknowledge them, see them for what they are, allow them to be brought to light) so that they can be removed.

This process makes what remains even more precious and beautiful in God's sight, and a worthier, more glorious vessel for His service. It is painful for a time, but ultimately it is a sign of His love and good intentions for us (Heb 12:7-11).

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Pet 1:6-7)

Thirdly, testing is designed to increase our intimacy with the Lord. This we learn more of in Hosea, where God speaks of Israel's desert experiences not in terms of trial but in terms of an opportunity to "allure" and "speak tenderly" to her (Hosea 2:14) in a spirit of betrothal and covenant love. As we walk with the Lord and learn to trust Him more, 'the desert' (in spiritual terms) can become a very precious place or season - though not an easy one. The key to this is to keep our hearts soft towards God rather than hardening them (Ps 95:7-11) - in full assurance that He brought us out of our old lives to woo us, not abandon us.

Finally, testing is designed to increase our reliance upon God – ultimately to His glory. At Meribah, Moses and Aaron embellished God's instructions by striking the rock and rebuking the people. The Lord later revealed that this was "because you did not trust me enough to honour me as holy" (Num 20:12). As a result of their self-reliance, neither Moses nor Aaron were allowed to lead Israel into the Promised Land.

There is a warning here: alongside the opportunity inherent in trials for glorifying God, learning to depend on Him and turning people's eyes to Him, so there is also space to draw attention to ourselves and do things in our own strength, and to derive some sense of confidence or security from that, ultimately bringing glory to ourselves rather than God. This we must flee.

Put Your Hand into God's

The 'problem of suffering' is a common apologetics topic and reason the world over why people reject God. But as happens so often in the 'upside-down' Kingdom of Heaven, God inverts the world's logic and instructs us throughout Scripture to see suffering not as a problem, but as an opportunity.

I can't help but think of pearls, which are formed inside the shells of molluscs "as a defense mechanism against a potentially threatening irritant such as a parasite inside the shell, or an attack from outside".¹ These beautiful gems are products of long-term suffering and disturbance.

I don't think it is a coincidence that Jesus is often referred to as the "pearl of great price" (Matt 13:46), given the amount of suffering He endured for us. If you are facing difficult circumstances today, be encouraged that Messiah Jesus knows exactly how you feel and wants to draw alongside you in them, for what He suffered enables Him to identify completely with us (e.g. Heb 4:15).

Even though we are Children of the Light (Eph 5:8), real faith often grows best in the dark, when we lose perspective, have no idea which way to turn or feel completely alone. In this place we are forced to make a choice about the truths we have learnt about God: to stand on them even if we cannot 'feel' their reality (see also Heb 4:2), or to reject them for more palpable sources of security.

Meanwhile, the world watches to see what difference our faith makes when things get tough. Let's take heart at the opportunity here. "Never doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light".²

Author: Frances Rabbitts

References

1 See 'Creation of a Pearl' part of Wikipedia's Pearl page.

2 Rogers, A. How to make sense out of suffering Pt 2. 1 September 2015.