Part of my message yesterday was on being a overcomer in life. We read scripture and understand it, but its oh so hard to live it out sometimes. Living out our faith when the bumps hit is the biggest test on the road to walking the victorious life. Sometimes we look around to gauge how other people's faith is compared to ours. It is impossible to tell by looking at a person how much faith they have. Compare your faith to a covered bucket of water; you only discover how much is inside when somebody bumps it. Likewise, when life bumps you, you spill out what you are full of. Maybe you took a financial hit in the last few years: bump! What spilled out, fear or faith? Maybe you, or a loved one, received bad news from the doctor and you're going for tests: bump! What splashed over the side? Dreading the worst or trusting God for the best? People can't tell by looking at you how much faith you have, but they can tell by listening to you. In life, bumps are going to happen. You will be tested. And the purpose of the test is not just to reveal your faith, but to refine it. God doesn't test your faith in order to know how much you have, He already knows. No, He tests your faith so that you can know - and start strengthening it. Stop and consider the hardest thing that's going on in your life right now, then ask yourself, 'Is this situation decreasing my faith or increasing it?' The Bible says: 'These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold - though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.' (1 Peter 1:7 NLT) You are loved!
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