Obedience seems to always be a key part of God's testing. He gives us things to do which make no sense to us and are not particularly appealing, although they are good for us. Then he watches our response to learn exactly how we feel about our relationship with him. If we trust him, we typically obey.
God designed humans to be co-creators and co-rulers with him (this is what it means for us to be made in the image of God). and the only way to succeed at this vocation is to eat of God's own life. This means that the opportunity to truly be human in the way God intended is also a test.
To test God is to look at today's difficulties and say, “A loving God would never let me suffer in this way. Maybe if things get better, then I can trust Him.” To test God is to ask, as Israel did, “Is God with us or not?” God has shown us that He is with us; He has nothing to prove to us.
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.
In John's first letter to the church the beloved apostle of Jesus Christ tells his community of faith that they are children of God and recognizes that the reason many in the world do not understand them is because the world does not know God.
In James 1 the Bible teaches that God uses trials to test or prove our faith. Trials help us to see if our faith is genuine. Trials are also meant to help us develop our faith as we see it lacking. This process is not an easy path to experience.
James 1:2-8 King James Version (KJV)
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Genesis 22:1-2 Some time later, God tested Abraham's faith. “Abraham!” God called…“Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”
Testing is part of how God relates to his chosen ones. When God selects someone to represent him (and therefore, to receive his blessing), he gives them opportunities in life that he doesn't give to other people.
Throughout the Torah God repeatedly tests his covenant partners to see if they are willing to live by his wisdom. We see this testing in the stories of Abraham, Moses, and the nation of Israel. Though there are moments of faith in the face of extreme circumstances, humans continue to repeat the failures of the garden.
Likewise, God ordains tests for us, not for his sake, but for ours. He ordains tests today just as he did in the Old Testament with the testing of his people, and in the New Testament with the testing of the disciples. From those who have gone before us, we find several reasons for tests in Scripture.
The Bible says, “When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me. ' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone” (James 1:13). But it is true that God tests us — that is, He allows us to get into situations where we must make a choice between right and wrong.
God tests us because he loves us dearly and wants us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of him. This is why the Bible tells us we can rejoice when being tested. Being tested by God has been misunderstood by many. It is clear in the scriptures that God does test us.
We can exercise faith in Christ when we have an assurance that He exists, a correct idea of His character, and a knowledge that we are striving to live according to His will. Having faith in Jesus Christ means relying completely on Him—trusting in His infinite power, intelligence, and love.
Struggling with faith is normal; it's part of growing.
And sometimes it causes you to have doubts. But as long as there's a kernel of belief left in you, you have not lost your faith. In fact, questioning your faith is often how you grow it.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
Your prayers do not align with God's will.
Simply put, sometimes God doesn't answer our prayers because we are praying for the wrong things. And we may not be doing this out of malice, either, so much as out of ignorance. Perhaps we don't know enough of God's Word to know his will.
Sometimes when bad things happen, they empower us to act and serve. Even the Savior, our example, suffered infirmities, “that his bowels may be filled with mercy” and so that He could know “how to succor his people” (Alma 7:12). Trials can open our eyes to those who are suffering.
Proverbs 3:5–8 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.