Hebrews 11:8-9 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a `land' not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

In situations when God is testing us, He will teach us new and deeper truths about Himself, His purposes, and His promises. Though we feel stretched in painful seasons, such difficulties are always designed to be beneficial.

From a human perspective, times of testing can be baffling because we don’t understand how anything good could result. Consider God’s command that Abraham sacrifice his long-awaited son Isaac. Abraham’s earthly viewpoint could have regarded this order as:

Unreasonable. “I cherish my son above all else. How could You ask this?”

Untimely. “Why now, Lord? My son is still young. He is the one through whom my descendants are to come.”

Unfair. “It’s not right that You ask this. Haven’t I left home to follow You?”

Unbearable. “This is too hard for me. I cannot take this pain.”

Abraham rejected that kind of thinking. Instead, he trusted God. The trial revealed Abraham’s unshakable commitment to the Lord’s plan.

Knowing which circumstances will help us grow, our Father asks us to exercise faith and choose His way. Recalling His unending love and wholehearted commitment to His children will help us do this. Be assured that God makes no mistakes in His dealings with us.

Imagine Abraham’s joy when the Lord provided a ram as a sacrifice in Isaac’s place. We will receive the same reward of spiritual joy when we remain steadfast. Won’t you respond to times of testing as Abraham did—by trusting and obeying God?

Bible in One Year: Psalms 44-49 Chapter 44 1 We have heard with our ears, O God, Our fathers have told us, What work thou didst in their days, In the days of old. 2 Thou didst drive out the nations with thy hand; But them thou didst plant: Thou didst afflict the peoples; But them thou didst spread abroad. 3 For they gat not the land in possession by their own sword, Neither did their own arm save them; But thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, Because thou wast favorable unto them. 4 Thou art my King, O God: Command deliverance for Jacob. 5 Through thee will we push down our adversaries: Through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. 6 For I will not trust in my bow, Neither shall my sword save me. 7 But thou hast saved us from our adversaries, And hast put them to shame that hate us. 8 In God have we made our boast all the day long, And we will give thanks unto thy name for ever. Selah 9 But now thou hast cast `us' off, and brought us to dishonor, And goest not forth with our hosts. 10 Thou makest us to turn back from the adversary; And they that hate us take spoil for themselves. 11 Thou hast made us like sheep `appointed' for food, And hast scattered us among the nations. 12 Thou sellest thy people for nought, And hast not increased `thy wealth' by their price. 13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and a derision to them that are round about us. 14 Thou makest us a byword among the nations, A shaking of the head among the peoples. 15 All the day long is my dishonor before me, And the shame of my face hath covered me, 16 For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth, By reason of the enemy and the avenger. 17 All this is come upon us; Yet have we not forgotten thee, Neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. 18 Our heart is not turned back, Neither have our steps declined from thy way, 19 That thou hast sore broken us in the place of jackals, And covered us with the shadow of death. 20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, Or spread forth our hands to a strange god; 21 Will not God search this out? For he knoweth the secrets of the heart. 22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 23 Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, cast `us' not off for ever. 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, And forgettest our affliction and our oppression? 25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust: Our body cleaveth unto the earth. 26 Rise up for our help, And redeem us for thy lovingkindness' sake. Psalm 45 For the Chief Musician; set to Shoshannim. `A Psalm' of the sons of Korah. Maschil. A Song of loves. Chapter 45 1 My heart overfloweth with a goodly matter; I speak the things which I have made touching the king: My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. 2 Thou art fairer than the children of men; Grace is poured into thy lips: Therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. 3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one, Thy glory and thy majesty. 4 And in thy majesty ride on prosperously, Because of truth and meekness `and' righteousness: And thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. 5 Thine arrows are sharp; The peoples fall under thee; `They are' in the heart of the king's enemies. 6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 7 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness: Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 8 All thy garments `smell of' myrrh, and aloes, `and' cassia; Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made thee glad. 9 Kings' daughters are among thy honorable women: At thy right hand doth stand the queen in gold of Ophir. 10 Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; Forget also thine own people, and thy father's house: 11 So will the king desire thy beauty; For he is thy lord; and reverence thou him. 12 And the daughter of Tyre `shall be there' with a gift; The rich among the people shall entreat thy favor. 13 The king's daughter within `the palace' is all glorious: Her clothing is inwrought with gold. 14 She shall be led unto the king in broidered work: The virgins her companions that follow her Shall be brought unto thee. 15 With gladness and rejoicing shall they be led: They shall enter into the king's palace. 16 Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, Whom thou shalt make princes in all the earth. 17 I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: Therefore shall the peoples give thee thanks for ever and ever. Psalm 46 For the Chief Musician. `A Psalm' of the sons of Korah; set to Alamoth. A Song. Chapter 46 1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change, And though the mountains be shaken into the heart of the seas; 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, Though the mountains tremble with the swelling thereof. Selah 4 There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God will help her, and that right early. 6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered his voice, the earth melted. 7 Jehovah of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah 8 Come, behold the works of Jehovah, What desolations he hath made in the earth. 9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariots in the fire. 10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. 11 Jehovah of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah Psalm 47 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Chapter 47 1 Oh clap your hands, all ye peoples; Shout unto God with the voice of triumph. 2 For Jehovah Most High is terrible; He is a great King over all the earth. 3 He subdueth peoples under us, And nations under our feet. 4 He chooseth our inheritance for us, The glory of Jacob whom he loved. Selah 5 God is gone up with a shout, Jehovah with the sound of a trumpet. 6 Sing praise to God, sing praises: Sing praises unto our King, sing praises. 7 For God is the King of all the earth: Sing ye praises with understanding. 8 God reigneth over the nations: God sitteth upon his holy throne. 9 The princes of the peoples are gathered together `To be' the people of the God of Abraham: For the shields of the earth belong unto God; He is greatly exalted. Psalm 48 A Song; a Psalm of the sons of Korah. Chapter 48 1 Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised, In the city of our God, in his holy mountain. 2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Is mount Zion, `on' the sides of the north, The city of the great King. 3 God hath made himself known in her palaces for a refuge. 4 For, lo, the kings assembled themselves, They passed by together. 5 They saw it, then were they amazed; They were dismayed, they hasted away. 6 Trembling took hold of them there, Pain, as of a woman in travail. 7 With the east wind Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish. 8 As we have heard, so have we seen In the city of Jehovah of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah 9 We have thought on thy lovingkindness, O God, In the midst of thy temple. 10 As is thy name, O God, So is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: Thy right hand is full of righteousness. 11 Let mount Zion be glad, Let the daughters of Judah rejoice, Because of thy judgments. 12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her; Number the towers thereof; 13 Mark ye well her bulwarks; Consider her palaces: That ye may tell it to the generation following. 14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide `even' unto death. Psalm 49 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Chapter 49 1 Hear this, all ye peoples; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world, 2 Both low and high, Rich and poor together. 3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. 4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp. 5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, When iniquity at my heels compasseth me about? 6 They that trust in their wealth, And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; 7 None `of them' can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him; 8 (For the redemption of their life is costly, And it faileth for ever;) 9 That he should still live alway, That he should not see corruption. 10 For he shall see it. Wise men die; The fool and the brutish alike perish, And leave their wealth to others. 11 Their inward thought is, `that' their houses `shall continue' for ever, `And' their dwelling-places to all generations; They call their lands after their own names. 12 But man `being' in honor abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish. 13 This their way is their folly: Yet after them men approve their sayings. Selah 14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be for Sheol to consume, That there be no habitation for it. 15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol; For he will receive me. Selah 16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, When the glory of his house is increased. 17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him. 18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul (And men praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself,) 19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see the light. 20 Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, Is like the beasts that perish. Psalm 50 A Psalm of Asaph.