Only A Test

“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.” - Deuteronomy 8:2 
 
 
In 1963, the United States government initiated a new system that was designed to give the President an expeditious way to communicate with the American public in the event of war, the threat of war, or a serious national crisis.  
 
There would be a sudden interruption to the normal television programming, the screen would go off, a horn or siren would sound, and this announcement would be heard and scroll across the bottom of the screen: “This is a test. For the next sixty seconds, this station will conduct a test of the Emergency Broadcast System.”  
 
Once the interlude was finished, the announcer would clearly repeat: “This is only a test.” I remember seeing that a lot when I was a kid. It was considered a good way to “ready us” for something that could happen. The goal was not to frighten us or make us worried. It was to make sure the public was prepared. The test had to be conducted! 
 
While we may not prefer it, God does the same thing. God tests us not to destroy us or to discourage us, but to develop us in our journey with Him. God has a way of interrupting our regular routine in life with a challenge designed to determine the integrity of our walk and the strength of our love for Him.  
 
This test is designed to grow us in our faith journey. God will call us into the classroom of life to test the veracity of our faith, the breadth of our love, and the depth of our commitment to Him.However, just remember the test is preparing you for greatness!