Jesus once sent a message to a church, describing a coming tribulation. In Revelation 2:10, Jesus told the believers in Smyrna, “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer.” He described an upcoming 10 day period of tribulation, that Satan would bring. The purpose: “that you may be tested.”
Let that sink in.
I noted so many times in my Bible where God specifically tested the Israelites. Notice what Moses says in Deuteronomy. God tested the Israelites, and allowed them to hunger.
Deuteronomy 8:2: “The Lord led you 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…”
Israel was tested in the wilderness.
Jesus was tested in the wilderness.
We too face testing, wilderness seasons.
He allowed His people to hunger. He humbled them. He tested them. Their response to that testing revealed what was in their hearts. And as their story unfolds, we see that unfaithfulness had real consequences for their participation in the promised inheritance. I Corinthians 10:1-5 tells us that the first generation of Israelites drank of that Rock, which was Christ. I believe the entire generation are in Christ’s eternal kingdom; yet because of their disobedience, they lost their inheritance.
There is a powerful lesson here for us.
Our eternal life is secure in Christ, received freely by believing in Him. But our faithfulness matters. God is preparing His children for responsibilities in His coming kingdom.
II Timothy 2:12: “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him.”
Sometimes our suffering is tremendous. The fear, the anxiety, the grief can feel overwhelming. The pain seems unbearable. Within that suffering, we may be tempted to stop trusting the Lord, stop worshiping Him, or turn away from His Word. But He promises us that no temptation will be unbearable.
I Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
Notice what God promises. Even in our deepest suffering, He remains faithful and provides a way for us to resist temptation and endure in faith. We may not understand why we suffer on this side of eternity. Sometimes what happens to us is profoundly unfair. But even in the suffering, we can worship Him, because He is good, no matter our circumstances.
So keep worshiping Jesus, even through the tears. “God, I worship You because You are worthy.”
Keep trusting Him, even when you don’t understand. “God, I trust You. I know that You are good.”
Keep walking with Him, even when the road is terribly hard. “I know You’re with me, Lord.”
He sees what you’re going through. He sees every moment of faithfulness. Your suffering will not last forever, and your endurance in Him is not forgotten.
Let me repeat this one point: He sees every moment of faithfulness, that is, every time you quote His Word, express trust in Him or worship Him, every time, He knows, and He keeps track.
The wilderness is temporary.
The coming kingdom is real.
And faithfulness today can bring glory that lasts forever.
Romans 8:18: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
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