For most of us a “stress test” is when a person is put on a tread mill and forced to exercise to the point that their heart is stressed.  The goal is to see how healthy the heart is by way of putting it under STRESS.

I’m of the opinion that God puts His children through Spiritual Stress Tests.  He tests our faithfulness to Him by putting and/or allowing situations to come into our lives.  He puts us in stress tests so WE can recognize areas of our life that need attention.  Consider the following…

Deut 8:2 God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that He might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not…

Deut 13:1 If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Judges 3:4 They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the Lord…

Hebrews 3:7 The Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear His voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness…

James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Luke 8:13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.

Consider that the test you are in may NOT be Satan after you as much as it is God TESTING you!  God may USE Satan to do His work of testing, but God may very well be the one ultimately behind the test!

Concluding Thoughts:

First.  God controls every test, not allowing you to be tested beyond what you can handle.

Second.  The same sun that softens wax, hardens clay (Heb 3:8).  Learn the lessons God has for you.

Third.  God’s purpose in testing is for you good… to conform you to Christ… to teach you to rely totally on Him.

Last.  You can rejoice in the test because of the third point above.