Are you testing or trusting?

In my book, “Light Beyond the Curtain”, John, a Christian leader in eastern Europe, shares how he rises at 3 a.m. every morning to pray for unsaved people in his region. Even so, he says he still doesn’t have enough time to approach God with all of his petitions. This man’s prayer habit is rooted in God’s promises to reward those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6), as well as in God’s compassion and desire to see all come to salvation. Indeed, the region is experiencing a move of God’s Spirit, and the prayers of faithful, grounded, passionate saints like John are certainly powerful and effective (James 5:16).

Trusting God and His Word will always result in answered prayers and blessings that go beyond what we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

But many people approach God with selfish, or even evil, intent, only to then blame Him for not answering. Such careless advance toward the Throne is never going to end well.

In Exodus 17, the wilderness wandering Israelities begin complaining about not having water to drink. They grumbled against their leader, Moses, blaming him for their sorry state: “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” (Exodus 17:3). After all the miracles that God had done among them, they doubted His faithfulness, asking, “Is the LORD among us or not?” (v. 7). That place in the wilderness was named Massah – “testing,” and Meribah – “quarreling”, after the negativity these so-called people of God had displayed. While God did supply them with water, it was clear He was not pleased with their behavior. None of them, except for Joshua and Caleb, ever made it to the Promised Land. Later, as Moses was teaching them, he reminded them: “”Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah” (Deuteronomy 6:16).

The Hebrew word “nacah” is used in each of these passages. The word specifically refers to a testing of God that is rooted in doubt, or an attempt to manipulate Him into doing what you want. Their actions in that situation, and in others, revealed what was in their heart. They did not trust God. Instead, they disrespected Him, doubted Him, and brazenly attempted to manipulate His grace for their selfish gain.

Hundreds of years later, Jesus also faced a difficult time in the wilderness. The devil urged Him to throw Himself down from the highest point of the temple, to see if God would save Him. After all, His Word says that He will send His angels to protect Him, right?

But Jesus knew what God’s Word said when properly understood. In fact, he repeats Deuteronomy 6:16: “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Matthew 4:7).

Jesus modeled trust in God, not a spirit of doubt. Anyone who tries to test God is usually doing so because they already lack faith, and they want a reason to continue in their grumbling and complaining about the unfairness of life.

James describes another way of approaching God improperly. Often, we don’t receive His help because we don’t ask for it at all. But “when you ask you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3).

Are we testing God and expecting to receive His help? Or are we approaching Him with confidence and trust in His faithfulness and love?

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Instead of trying to manipulate God into doing what you want, let Him create your path, and then follow Him on it. It is there, alone, that you will find His favor.