Putting God to the Test (Psalms 78:41)

How do we put God to the test?

In the Old Testament, we read how the Hebrews put God to the test during their wilderness wanderings, questioning whether He was able to deliver them.

Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
Psalms 78:41

And many years later, the Bible tells us of how Jesus Christ faced a hostile and stubborn group of people within his own hometown of Nazareth.

Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.
Mark 6:5

God is omnipotent; how, then, could His power by limited by our actions?

God’s power is not limited. We chose to ignore God’s work even when He is in the midst of us. We chose to ignore the wonders of His creation and instead focus upon things we have created. We deny His power to work in believers lives, choosing to attribute the change to the power of positive thinking or even medications. The problem is not with God, the problem is with us.

As James stated, it because we have selfish motives and are seeking to glorify ourselves rather than to glorify God. We do not live by faithful surrender to God.

You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
James 4:2-3

God is merciful. But He will allow us to be given over to our own selfish desires if we continue to disobey Him. We put God to the test when we make decisions based upon our solutions to circumstances rather than relying upon God to take control and bring the conflict to resolution.

If your are able to say, “God, take control of my life!”, you will never put God to the test.

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.