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"Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone."
(James 1:13)
God tests us, but Satan tempts us, and there is a vast difference between the two. As James 1:13 teaches, God does not tempt anyone to sin. God, however, does indeed test His children. Tests cause us to lean even more on the Lord and depend on Him to carry us through. Satan always has our worst intention in mind, but God only has what is best in mind for His children.
A few days ago, I was wrestling with something and could feel the temptation to worry, but at the same time, I saw what I was going through as a possible test. Three times in my quiet time that very morning, I read in the Bible that God tests His children. Think about that. God spoke to me through His Word not once or even twice, but three times! God was allowing me to be tested, but the evil one wanted to use the same scenario to tempt me to sin.
The sources for testing and tempting are different, and so is the purpose behind the two. When God tests us, He seeks to refine us and make us better. When Satan tempts us, he only desires to harm us and our witness for Christ. In 1 Peter 1:6-7 we read, "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." God loves us and desires us to grow so our faith is mature, so that when the Lord returns, He finds us complete in Him. Contrast this with what Scripture teaches about the purpose and results of temptation. James 1:14-16 says, "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren." But just to show how awesome God is, James 1:12 tells us that God brings about good for us when we endure temptation: "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."
Some of you are facing some serious tests in your life right now. God is allowing you to walk this path, and He desires to mature and deepen you through this process. No doubt, Satan is lurking close by and wants nothing more than for you to not only fail the tests but also slip into the tempter's snare and sin. As you walk this path at this pivotal time in your life, please be reminded that God is cheering you on. He wants you to make wise choices and lean even more on Him as you walk through this valley of testing. Satan of course wants you to worry, become fearful, and give up. God is with you. We grow most not on the mountaintops of life but in the valleys.
How should we respond to both trials and temptations, knowing that we will experience our fair share of both in this life? For trials, I encourage you to lean into Jesus, receive encouragement from His Word, reach out to other followers of Jesus, and ask them to pray with you in this time of testing. For temptation, the best way to respond is the way Jesus responded in Matthew 4 when the devil tempted him to sin. Quote the Word of God! After each temptation, Jesus would say, "It is written," and then He would quote Scripture.
May God bless you with endurance as you walk through the valley of testing, and may our great God grant to you recall of Scripture as you persevere through temptation.
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