This is a TEST!

As I was getting ready this morning for an early appointment, I remembered that the outlet in my bathroom tripped yesterday and I could not get it to reset.  My home was built in the 70's,  so at that time GFI outlets were not required by the local building code.  At some point, a GFI breaker was installed at the main panel.  I was familiar with these type of outlets because building code now requires all bedrooms to be on these type of breakers.  Typically when they trip as a result of an overload or getting too hot, all you need to do is go to the main panel and reset the outlet by hitting the test button and flipping the breaker back to the "on" position.  That did not work for me yesterday as I tried several times and out of frustration I gave up.

Well you know women need their hairdryers, curling irons and flat irons when getting ready.  We typically have a set routine of how we get ready and yes we need the big mirror and our accessories working properly beside the mirror. 

So one more time, I tracked downstairs to the main panel.  I pushed the test button, I flipped the switch back and forth a couple of times, but it would not stay in the "on" position.  I again began to get frustrated so this time I held the test button down really hard for a few seconds and then flipped the switch to the "on" position.  Guess what?  It worked!  I did it!  I was so proud of myself but more importantly relieved that it was now working.  Then I heard..."This is a test!"  I wondered if I really just heard something or not and again I heard..."This is a test!"  A test?  A test for what?

As I pondered what I just heard, I was elated because I finally heard from God after Him being silent for over three weeks.  The silence has been deafening and I would confess that the silence has been almost worse than the process of surrendering my home, my possessions and relationships.  I thought, "This is a test?"  What does that mean?

As you know, God has given me a vision that He is unfolding where He gave me specific instructions to:
1.  Get out of the boat.  You can't hold onto the past and walk into the new that I have for you.
2.  Put systems and order into place.
3.  Sell your home and possessions for the next door to open.

I have done all of these things and I was expecting the next doors to fling open once I closed on my house.  It has not worked that way though.  God went silent.  As I have been sitting in this silence, He has revealed to me that He is working in the background even though I can't see or understand what He is doing.

So as I contemplated the message He gave to me this morning, "This is a test!", I realized that He is testing my faith and trust in Him.  Even though I have been praying faithfully for answered prayers, and the answer has consistently been not yet, do I really trust God's reasons beyond my comprehension?  Do I trust that God has a better plan than my own preconceived plans and desires?  I don't understand why I have endured so much heartache, pain and loss, but God is testing me to see if I will continue to "pray through and praise through" (Batterson, Mark) my unanswered prayers, the silence and the waiting?

This is the TEST!  Can I continue to pray and praise God during the hardest circumstances I may be faced with?  It is this unceasing prayer and praise where "The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus"  (Philippians 4:7).

So during this test, I am continuing to pray and praise God by reading aloud through the Psalms. They are giving me a peace.  The lesson that I am learning is that maybe my unanswered prayers or the not yet answered prayers is like Laura Story's song where she suggests it may be "blessings in disguise".  Or maybe it is a better answered prayer that God wants to impart on me instead of me settling for less.  Nevertheless, James 1:2-4 says to, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

I encourage you to pray through and praise God through the test.  Once God reveals His answers to me, I will definitely share with you what my prayer has been and what God delivered to me.

Praise Him through the Test!