Tested

2 Kings 18,19; 2 Chronicles 32; James 5 

“After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib King of Assyria came and invaded Judah…He succeeded in everything he undertook. But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.”

2 Chronicles 32:1, 30, 31

After years of faithfully serving the Lord and experiencing success in our lives, we might be tempted to believe our success came from our own efforts and that we deserve some of the blessings we have received. King Hezekiah was invaded by Assyria despite faithfully serving God. His humble, desperate cry to the Lord and his testimony of deliverance became another opportunity to bring glory to God. However, when envoys from Babylon came to flatter him and hear his stories, Hezekiah’s pride became his undoing. He showed his visitors all his treasures. We all receive tests from the Lord to know what is in our heart. When we don’t feel God’s presence in our lives, he could be testing us or making us aware of some area of sin that needs repenting and surrendering. For most of us, success is a greater test of our character than failure.

‘What is the Lord exposing in our heart?

“Lord God, I pray that I would pass the tests you allow in my life, for your glory.”