What’s in Your Heart?

“In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end. Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’” Deuteronomy 8:16-17

Tests are challenging and can be difficult. Tests allow the true nature of a person to be revealed. The Lord tested the Israelites while they journeyed in the wilderness for forty years so that He could humble them and do good for them.
 
The Israelites experienced hardships that were related to basic necessities for survival. They were fearful that they would not have food, water, or that their enemies would overtake them. In every test, they had no way to provide for themselves or to assure their own safety. In every instance, they were made aware of their vulnerability and their need for the Lord. In no way could they say that they provided for themselves or protected themselves. They had to give glory to God for the miraculous ways He provided for them and protected them.

​The Israelites tests not only revealed their physical insufficiency without the Lord, it also exposed their spiritual immaturity. With each test, the Israelites immediately complained, rebelled, threatened, and cried to return to the enslavement of Egypt. They only cried out to the Lord when they experienced His discipline and judgment for their sin. Their tests ultimately revealed that their hearts needed to be tethered to the Lord.
 
Like the Israelites, the Lord loves us so much that He will test us to reveal what is in our hearts. He allows tests so that we understand that He is our sustenance for our spiritual, physical, emotional, and financial needs. He will allow us to experience great difficulty in the form of trials and tests, so that we are tethered to Him and acknowledge that it is He alone who blesses us and causes us good success. Our tests are designed specifically for us, to humble us, to show us who we are, and what we are really made of. Tests are meant to drive us closer to the Lord. As you experience your tests, pay close attention to how you respond, how you think, and how you behave. During your test, God is lovingly revealing to you what is in your heart.