Integrity.

“We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, The Passion Translation)

Years back, I had a revelation from The Lord concerning what we call, “tests.” He told me that He already knows me and what He has put deep down on the inside of me. He is sure. But He wants me to be sure too.

So the thing we like to call, “tests,” are only an opportunity for us to know ourselves. To know ourselves the way He does. For he trusts us. Tests are only sent our way to reveal to us who we are in Him. He already knows. It is for us to know.

This truth has been etched out by Him in my soul ever since. Even before something like a test comes my way, deep down I know that this is something God is using to only peel back another layer of who I am in Him. It is a tool in His Hands to not only reveal His Faithfulness as He walks me through it, but also something that on the other side, becomes a trophy of His Grace in mine.

Why am I writing about tests today?

Because truth be told, life towards the fulfillment of dreams and destiny birthed through the revelation of His Promises will be marked by them. They may come at times when we least expect them, but as His Own, we can rest.

We can rest as surely as Jesus slept in the back of the boat in the midst of a tempestuous storm. His disciples panicked and even thought that perhaps, Jesus didn’t care. When they accused Him of being unkind, He quickly rebuked the wind and the waves till calm was restored and the disciples left with an astonishing revelation as Jesus said to them,

“Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:38-40, ERV)

He simply wanted them to know that they too had the authority to do what He just did. Likewise, as His Children, we too have authority when tests and trials come our way. His Name is what gives us authority and His Character is the essence of our rest. His Name has defeated death and won life everlasting for us, then in the light of this revelation, can we ever be intimidated?

No.

We may feel intimidated, but it can never get the better of us. For He who promised is Faithful.

He promised to never leave us nor forsake us. He promised to be an ever present help in times of trouble. He promised that hope will never let us be ashamed. He promised that even though we stumble, we will not fall for He upholds us with His righteous right hand. He promised that we have a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. He promised that He has hemmed us in, behind and before.

And because He has, we can rest for we know The One whom we have believed. His Love is constant and endless. His Mercy knows no bounds nor limits. His Grace is extravagant and all sufficient. His Majesty reigns and rules. His Supremacy over all things is incontestable. His Sovereignty makes all things possible.

He is the God of Love, Freedom and Purpose. When He speaks, He creates. And what He creates is what we have the privilege and delight to walk into as He takes us from one degree of glory to another. When He releases a promise from His bosom to ours, it not only becomes a guarantee of fulfillment, but also a guarantee that we will overcome.

Why?

Because He is watching to see that His Word is fulfilled.

Through every test or trial that we may encounter, we can rest in the integrity of The One who will be faithful to encounter us even more through it all. And my experience tells me with absolute certainty that when He encounters us, we never are the same again. For He makes sure that we become better than before.

And not just better than before, but even better acquainted with ourselves and The One whom we have believed. The One who not only breathed His very life into our being, but even the plans and purposes that He has destined for us to walk into. The One who enables us to put faith into action, and doesn’t let anything interfere with it. The One who overlooks all that we are not, and delights in who we are becoming. The One who has gone into all our tomorrows and yet is present by our side. The One who bestows upon us a newness of life rich with promises that are designed to bring us closer to the very One we are talking about.

For The One we are talking about is the truest person I know. And because He is True, I can trust. And when I trust, I can rest.

As I hasten to a close, the picture of the mountain that He has led me to use for this post has brought to remembrance one of the songs sung by Worship leader, Steffany Gretzinger; a song I’ve perhaps sung more than once,

“Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful.”

And He never changes.

Integrity.