Knowing that any suffering experienced by believers is part of God's overall sovereign plan provides its own comfort. However, as with any aspect of truth in the Christian life, intellectual knowledge is not an exact parallel to experiential knowledge. Until we know how we react in the midst of living out a certain truth, intellectual allegiance counts for nothing (James 1:25-27; 2:14-17). Testing the validity of what believers profess is one of the fundamental reasons God allows suffering (Job 23:10).
One sure way to test the genuineness of a diamond is by means of what jewelers call the water test. An imitation stone never shines as brilliantly as a real one, but the contrast is not always easy to detect just by ordinary viewing. Jewelers know that placing a genuine diamond and an imitation one side by side in water will reveal the differences. The real one continues to sparkle brilliantly under water, whereas the fake one loses practically all its sparkle.
As an analogy to this illustration, many people who are very confident in the genuineness of their faith find it lacking when they come under the waters of sorrow or adversity. The supposed diamond brilliance of their faith is then shown to be nothing but an imitation; however, put the true child of God under the water of a trial and he will shine as brilliantly as ever. G.K. Chesterton also used the metaphor of water to make the same point: "I believe in getting into hot water, I think it keeps you clean."
The Lesson of Faith
It seems clear then that the foremost reason God tests us through suffering is to test the strength of our faith. One of the classic case studies in Scripture that illustrates this is the account of Abraham's testing in Genesis 22. It was, in my estimation, the severest trial any human being ever faced.
The whole idea was absolutely inconceivable. It was a trial that made no sense -- not in terms of God's nature, His plan of redemption, His word, and His or Abraham's love for Isaac. In addition to these factors, this trial was perhaps the severest ever for a human being because God told Abraham himself to kill Isaac. It's one thing to watch a loved one die, it's something else to be told to kill that person.
Abraham revealed amazing faith in this situation. He obeyed God obediently, without question or argument (v. 3). In verses 5 and 8 he expressed the quiet confidence, first of all, that he and Isaac would return and, second, that God would provide a lamb for the burnt offering. Those acts suggest that deep down in his heart Abraham knew God's action was going to be consistent with his character and covenant. Abraham may not have known specifically what that was, but the passage indicates that he had a good idea. Abraham was prepared to plunge a knife into the chest of his own son. He was submissive, obedient, and willing to worship God at any cost. God accepted Abraham's willingness as evidence of his faith and clothed him with righteousness.
Such extraordinary obedience in the face of the severest of trials informs us that a believer today can endure the most difficult trials imaginable if he or she wholeheartedly trusts in God. Abraham's test also informs us that God's tests for us might involve people we hold very near and dear, such as sons, daughters, husbands, wives, or close friends. We may have to offer up our own Isaac -- give the ones we love most over to the Lord. We may need to let them go God's way, rather than holding on to them so they'll live the way we'd prefer.
We can conclude that the more difficult the obedience the more excellent it is. Abraham obeyed God in the extremity and as a result he became the model of faith. Thus anyone who has faith in God and is thereby justified is a child in the spiritual line of Abraham. If we trust God as Abraham did, we can be confident in any test or trial.
Second Chronicles 32:31 summarized Hezekiah's testings from the Lord by stating that the purpose was so "He might know what was in his heart." Surely God does not have to test any of us to find out what is in our hearts because he already knows. Rather, He tests us so that we might know what is in our hearts. In that sense He assists us in taking a spiritual inventory and self-examination. Whenever God brings us through a severe trial, it will reveal to us either the strength or weakness of our faith, and the faithfulness of God. If by grace we display a strong faith, that ought to encourage us that it's real and that it can become stronger as we continue to see the Lord through trials (see Job 42:1-6).
(from The Power of Suffering by John MacArthur, Jr.)
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