Why God Tests Us

Lessons from Deuteronomy 8:2-5

While reflecting on what God spoke to the Israelites in chapter eight of Deuteronomy, I could identify four aspects that brought out God’s purpose and heart in His working in us. The more I meditated on each of these aspects, the more it helped me understand God.

Now part of the passage reads like this:

And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not (Deut. 8:2).

So one of the first aspects I could identify in God’s working is His reason for testing us. Two phrases stand out—humble you and test you. The verse then identifies the intention of the test—to know what is in your heart, whether you would keep the commandments or not. Without exception, each one of us can testify of trying times that we have gone through, whether at home, or in our work place; whether with finances or health or relationships. The Bible records for our own instruction (1Cor. 10:11) the various times the Israelites were tested in the wilderness—at the crossing of the Red Sea (Ex. 14:11-14); or before God provided manna (Ex. 16:2-4); or water from the rock (Ex. 17:2-7); or at other times in the wilderness. They had already witnessed the power of God and had no shortage of reasons to trust Him at each test. Yet they failed.

Before the crossing of the Red Sea, they had seen the wrath of God on Pharaoh and the Egyptians and how each time he miraculously kept the children of Abraham safe. Before the manna, they were witnesses to the phenomenal power of God not only in making a way (where there was no way). He also showed them that He was their Defender by destroying the Egyptian army and their chariots when they pursued the Hebrews. They had no dearth of personal testimonies to show at each test that their God was powerful and He was caring; that He was their Defender and that He was their Provider. Yet each time they grumbled (1Cor. 10:10). Each time they displayed unbelief and disobedience (Heb. 3:19; 4:11). God used each test to humble them and reveal what was in their heart.

“Today, if you hear His voice,” the writer to the Hebrews now warns us, “do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me.” (Heb. 3:15; 4:7) Can we, through learning from Israel’s mistakes, now humble ourselves in times of testing? The fruit of true humility at such times is a spirit of trust and dependence on God. I call these fruits of humility because we are so full of ourselves that we run to God only when all that we've tried fails. Can we, in each difficult situation, cease from grumbling and complaining? Can we rest in the fact that our lives and circumstances are safe in the hands of our God who is in control and that He is able to cause all things to work for our good (Rom. 8:28)? Can we lean not on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5) but lean on Him in total dependence, our hearts crying, “My help comes from Thee, O Maker of heaven and earth” (Psa. 121:2)?

I strongly believe that if in the time of testing, we are open to the conviction of the Holy Spirit as He shows us what is in our hearts, His working would allow us to submit easily  when our faith is tested—that it may come through as more precious than gold refined in fire (1Pet. 1:6, 7). By that same working, God would teach us to persevere—for the testing of our faith brings perseverance (Jas. 1:2, 3).

The second aspect in the passage I reflected on brought out God’s care and protection. The Lord had repeatedly in the previous chapters and in the verses that followed this passage, made it amply clear to the Hebrew wanderers that He was going to take them into the promised land and was going to, with a mighty hand, give victory over those that were known to be undefeatable (Deut. 9:2); and grant to them great and beautiful things that they never laboured for (Deut. 6:10-12). But He also kept repeating the importance to love Him with all their hearts and obey Him (Deut. 8:6). So while giving these instructions, God now reminds the Israelites how He fed them with manna which they did not know nor did their fathers know (Deut. 8:3); how their garments did not wear out on them—their clothes did not tear nor did they become short (Deut. 8:4). God reminded them how through all their journey in the hot desert of Sinai their feet did not swell in all of the forty years (Deut. 8:4); and how through the great and terrible wilderness, He kept them safe from the fiery serpents and scorpions and provided for them from a hard rock in a thirsty land where there was no water (Deut. 8:15).

Oh that we can, in each of our own trials, constantly remind ourselves of the unfailing goodness of God and the inseparable love that He has for us in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:38, 39). If we could only fully grasp the meaning of Paul’s statement—"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32)—would then learn to rest with the peace of God in each trial and in every testing situation.

The third aspect that I could identify from the passage in Deuteronomy 8 was God’s desire for us to depend on Him not only for earthly blessings; but rather to lean on and cling to His all-wise, dependable, infallible word. This aspect comes through when God says, “He let you be hungry and fed you with manna… that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.” (Deut. 8:3) I can witness from my own life that no one who trusts in God’s word—making all one’s life’s choices and decisions on the basis of God’s leading, His will and His word—has ever been put to shame. I have sought to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God and I have seen how faithful God has been to keep me safe in His perfect path. He has gently guided my steps and kept me from the ways of error. Even when at times I was uncertain, God never failed to confirm His constant involvement in me by speaking to my heart; using His word.

Then there is the fourth aspect that clearly comes through in verse 5—the Father-heart and love for His children. He says, “You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you.” (Deut. 8:5). We are all familiar with the verse in Hebrews that says, “For whom the Lord loves He chastens and scourges every son whom He receives.” (Heb. 12:6) Now I ask a question converse to the one that the Bible poses. Just as God disciplines us when we need correction (Heb. 10:9), would He discipline us if we stay true to Him and His word? Would He rebuke us if we walk close to Him with faith and obedience in undistracted love and devotion? Would an earthly father spank his son if He is doing the right things? Then why would our heavenly Father need to chastise us unnecessarily? We can be certain that He takes no pleasure in disciplining us if we do what is right. This infers then that, it is possible, when we are chastised or disciplined—and this can come in various ways, by way of sickness, or by any other way—that there must be an area in our life that needs attention. The quicker we are to identify it, repent and seek God’s face to sin no more in what He has convicted us, the sooner we are free from that period of chastisement. Of course, there are others areas of testing that God takes us through, though these are not because of sin, but because the Father is seeking to do a greater work—a work that makes us stronger and takes us deeper in our walk with Him. Yet whatever the circumstance or reason for discipline, God reveals His Father-heart by, in effect, telling us: “I love you. I want to lead you from glory to glory. I know what needs to be done. Trust Me. Submit to My working. My grace is sufficient for you.”

Four glorious aspects in as many verses bring out what our good, good God and Father wants to achieve in times of testing. May He find in us submissive, trusting, obedient hearts. In doing so we will witness the great grace of God when He says, “Do not be terrified of them (our enemies, our difficulties or our circumstances); for the LORD your God, the great and awesome God, is among you.” (Deut. 7:21)