While on the journey up the mountain, Isaac asked his father, "Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"

Abraham’s reply was, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." (Genesis 22:7-8)

Upon arriving at the top of the mountain, the altar was built, the wood put in place, and Isaac would discover that he was to be the sacrifice—or so it looked. The angel of the Lord called from heaven to stop Abraham and drew his attention to a ram that had been caught in the thicket. The Lord had provided the lamb for the sacrifice.

Abraham named that place "The –Lord-Will-Provide" (Genesis 22:14). The purpose of the trial was to teach Abraham and Isaac that the Lord will provide for them. They were traveling in a strange land in obedience to God’s calling. They needed to know that God would meet their needs as they walked in His will.

Many people think of Job as a man caught between God and the devil in a battle to see if Job would fail. Nothing could be further from the truth. This scenario almost seems like a joke being played on the devil. Remember, God knows all things! When the devil told God that Job would "curse You to Your face" if God were to touch his possessions, God, in His foreknowledge, was fully aware what Job would do before the test ever began (Job 1:11). So, why did God allow this testing to take place?

It had nothing to do with Job’s ability to pass or fail. God wanted to teach Job a very important lesson. Prior to the testing, Job knew the blessings of God upon his life. When Job was struggling to find God in all that was happening to him, he noted "But He When Job was struggling to find God in all that was happening to him, he noted "But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23:10)

During your testing, it is not so important that you know where God is. It is far more important that you know that He knows where you are. After the testing, Job could declare that he knew the God of the blessings. He no longer needed to experience blessings to know that God was with him and working in his life with purpose and design.

Job declared, "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you." (Job 42:5). Job’s testing was all about a lesson that God wanted to teach him in order to make their relationship something closer than superficial blessings.

James 1:2-6 shares some enlightening facts about the trials of faith. According to this passage, the trials that our faith is exposed to are designed to make us perfect and complete—to know and to grow. If we don’t understand the purpose of the trial, we are instructed to ask for wisdom (verse 5). This is another indication that the trial is designed for knowing and growing. Verse six tells us that we are to ask in faith. This is to accent the fact that we believe that God is working though our trial to teach us.

In many cases, an individual might suggest that the trial is from an enemy trying to defeat him. He then spends his time wrestling with the enemy and fails to look for God in his trial. When Job’s comforters distracted him by causing him to look inward instead of upward, his testing was prolonged. Even if there is an enemy involved in our trial, focusing on the enemy rather than asking God for wisdom can cause us to miss the knowing-and-growing part of the trial.

Questions like, "What did I do to deserve this" should be replaced with a more positive view such as, "What good is God going to bring from this?"

Romans 8:28 tells us that "…all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." The next verse tells us what that purpose is. God intends for us to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). This would indicate that the trial of our faith is to help us to grow to be more like Christ.

If the trial of our faith is to make us more like Christ, why was Jesus tried? The Scriptures teach that He "…was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." The answer to this question would suggest that Christ was tempted and tried in order that He would become more like us. Hebrews 2:18 tells us of Christ, "For in that He Himself has

suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted." We are invited to look at Christ when we feel the pain of our trials. "For consider Him Who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls." (Hebrews 12:3)

The fact is that change often causes pain. Living in a safety zone of predictable circumstances does not bring growth into our lives. The thing that produces the change in our lives is conflict. God promises us that we will have tribulation in this world (John 16:33). So, why did God leave me in a world of conflict while making a way for me to go to heaven? Because God knows that conflict brings change and change brings growth.

When the growth seems painful, remember the pain that Christ endured when He created the plan that made it possible for us to change. The Bible teaches, "He whom the Son sets free is free indeed." Christ set us free so that we might become the persons whom God created us to be. This requires change and change can be painful.