God wants to test your faith.
“because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:3-4)
The Greek translation of the word ‘test’ in the Scriptures is peirasmós, which means a trial or a proving. When you feel like God isn’t near, it is actually when He is closest to you; His apparent absence can be a test designed to strengthen your faith.
How can that be?
Testing is associated with purification—to cleanse you of those things that aren’t serving you and produce perseverance by strengthening your belief that God is greater than any adversity you face (1 Peter 1:7).
Testing is designed to bear fruit by bringing you up to a mature level of faith. For that reason, James assures, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).
