Man is tested. The most difficult tests are given to the strongest people. Why all these vibrations
Do you love challenges? Are you eager to get another portion to test your faith? You are confident in your faith - then expect trials!
First, let's understand the concept of "test".
From Greek (δοκίμιον) - test, test. In the passive voice, this word conveys the idea: "approved after verification", "tested for approval", "authentic" (Cleon L. Rogers, Jr., A new linguistic and exegetical key to the Greek text of the New Testament, 843). The purpose of trials is good. Trials show the authenticity of our faith.
A test is a test of our faith. It is a process or means for determining the authenticity of something, testing, means of testing (BDAG, 265). The essence of the test is to test our faith for authenticity.
The parable of the sower illustrates well the essence of trials: if a person’s confidence in his salvation is the result of false faith, then any future trials will show on what basis adherence to the Christian faith is built.
In trials, God uses any means. And at the same time, it is important to understand that God does not test with sin (James 1:13-16), He does not tempt anyone.
1. Trials as a Test of Our Faith
The following verses well argue the value of trials for our faith. Naturally, our flesh will resist them. We will rebel against
to eradicate even the slightest sin, but the Lord in His grace patiently works on us and sends all the necessary means to purify everything that defames His glorious name.
"Receive with great joy, my brethren, when you fall into various temptations, knowing that the test of your faith produces patience; and
but patience must have a perfect effect, so that you are perfect in all its fullness, without any defect.
"
(James 1:2-4)
"Rejoice in this, now grieving a little, if necessary, from various temptations,so that your tried faith may be more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, to praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.. " (1 Peter 1:6,7)
2. Trials as a means to manifest God's glory.
Rarely do we think about this aspect of testing. Much more often, some people think that God has no right to use man to manifest his glory. The clay begins to point out to the potter based on its illusory rights. But how! Obviously, to our ears, such a tool for the manifestation of the glory of God sounds cruel, but this is only because we do not fully understand God's nature and do not know the plans of His "heart". Our selfishness and sense of self-worth feeds our sense of self-preservation.
"And as he passed, he saw a man blind from birth.His disciples asked Him: Rabbi! who sinned, he or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered: neither he nor his parents sinned, but [this is] [in order] for the works of God to appear on him. " (John 9:1-3)
3. Trials as a way to punish.It is this aspect of trials that many Christians gossip about when something bad happens to their neighbor: “Ah, God punished him!”. A person fell ill with an incurable disease - God punished, a loved one died - God punished and so on. Perhaps so, but not a fact, since we see that there are several reasons for testing. And only God fully knows why He allows trials.
And through punishment God tests our faith.
"The Lord severely punished me, but did not put me to death."(Ps. 117:18)
"I know, Lord, that Your judgments are righteous and You have justly punished me.." (Ps. 119:75)
4. "Tests" as a consequence of our stupid deeds.This point is not so much a test as it is what we often think of as a test, but it is not in the biblical sense of the term. When we do stupid things, we rarely think about their consequences. For example, we take a loan from a bank to buy a car, a certain time passes and we understand that we will not be able to give money for the car. And the sophisticated human mind immediately begins to justify itself, placing responsibility for its actions on God, saying: "The Lord is testing me." But it's not like that. Undoubtedly, through such circumstances, our qualities of character are manifested, but the problem that we cannot give money for a car lies in our inability to adequately assess our financial capabilities. And nothing more. It is possible that God also uses our weaknesses to test our faith.
God calls us to rejoice in trials. The reason for such joy is not masochism, we do not like to subject ourselves to suffering. We are happy because we know the ultimate goal of trials - transformation into the image of Jesus Christ.
A person passes the test of life at different stages of his development, while overcoming difficulties and emotional stress. However, after some time, he discovers that the changes that have taken place in life, as a rule, were directed from the “bad” pole to the “good” pole, and as a result of them personal growth occurred with a qualitative change in life values. Fate, as it were, pushed a person to these changes in life and a new level of personal growth, creating trials in life. After all, the person himself would hardly want to change anything in his life if everything was arranged in it the best way. And the forced desire to overcome difficulties, the search for a way out of the current unpleasant situation made me mobilize all my inner potential, activate the human psychological factor - the creative principle of a person and reach a new level of his development.
And do not try to get around the stones.
Don't throw them down in a frenzy.
Let the obstacles on your way
They turn into steps all the time...
Don't curse the stones under your feet
Here is the height that opens up.
Think for yourself: whenever they
Could you climb up the mountain?
Valentine. Sidorov
The test of life is always a step into the new, the unknown, so for many it is a difficult, often frightening and not always pleasant process. Our life resembles a zebra, so if you are now undergoing trials and changes, then remember that a black stripe is always followed by a white one, after a night dawn comes, and after troubles there will certainly be joys. You just need to have patience, acceptance and humility and honestly pass this test, changing your qualities through personal growth, comprehending everything that happened more deeply and adjusting your life values. So, it's time to put things in order in your life and get rid of all the rubbish accumulated in it - both in the physical and emotional sense, it's time to learn a new life lesson and pass the exam for stamina and strength of mind. And then the wheel of Fortune will certainly turn in your favor. Change cannot be resisted. you can ruin your life a lot.
We are all students in this life, and as students (some losers, others excellent students), we react differently to the test of life. Difficulties harden some people, make them stronger, enrich them with invaluable experience, others break and lead to prolonged depression, degradation and even a fall. Why?! We all know that it is not the difficulties that make a person a failure, but the attitude towards them. And if a person passes the test of life, it means that he develops, is in motion, overcomes the resistance of his former self. In general, you need to get used to the trials of life and perceive them as a kind of step forward, which makes you rethink the situation and move forward. Take the test of life as a sign that you are not degrading.
What is the best way to get through this difficult period?
1) You must definitely accept the situation as an opportunity for your further personal and spiritual growth and believe in the prospect of the useful experience that you will receive. After all, problems and trials are really just new opportunities in unattractive packages. The mood will give you energy. We must learn to react calmly and benefit for ourselves, to perceive difficulties as an opportunity to learn something new - how new stage personal growth to improve life values and expand your comfort zone. Don't let hope for a change for the better leave you! Optimism and calm confidence in the successful outcome of any events become a kind of talisman that attracts good luck.
2) As soon as you came to your senses and calmed down, you need to make an analysis of the events and the corresponding conclusions. Then the regularity and repetition of events in life will be revealed, and you will see that any troubles have a dominant cause - your human psychological factor, i.e. a set of character traits (lack of perseverance, responsibility, sociability, pride, closeness, etc.). You will immediately see that the cause of any problems must be sought in oneself, but not for the purpose of self-flagellation, but in order to understand why these problems arose and how to avoid them in the future.
3) After analysis, you will be able to realize that life has given these trials to gain experience. After all, whatever doesn't kill us makes us stronger. The test of life and the changes that have occurred as a result of this make us wiser, more responsible and more mature in personal terms, more flexible and self-confident, forcing us to boldly change habitual patterns of behavior, gain new experience. Without these tests, there would be no progress. Everything that has not stood the test of reality and common sense, should be ruthlessly discarded. Most likely, this is the ballast that you no longer need. Everything will come better, but not immediately, but gradually in accordance with your internal changes. It is this positive way of thinking that will serve you in good stead at the time of trial.
4) Do not be afraid of suffering at the time of trials in life, for suffering does not allow the soul to become dead. Amazing is the one who did everything for real: loved and hated, praised and despised, thought and suffered, rejoiced and cried. For nothing human is alien to us. It is the gamut of feelings that does not allow a person to become an empty flower. The main thing is to remain true to your convictions, not to lose your spiritual core, not to lose your acquired virtues. Take the coming storm seriously, but don't let it destroy your fortifications.
5) The test of life makes it clear what is valuable for a person in this life, what he already has and what he should strive for. This is every time a review of their life values and raising them to a new level. It is the test that makes it clear the depth or illusory nature of relationships, attachments, interests, aspirations and motivations. It is this new turn in life that makes it possible to appreciate the most ordinary things that we passed by without noticing and begin to experience the joy of their existence.
6) At the time of testing by life, a person, as a rule, thinks only about the past or the future. Especially a lot of mental strength is taken away by experiences about the past. A person again plunges into situations that in fact have not existed for a long time. It doesn't exist in the present. But it is the moment between the past and the future that is called life! Therefore, it is very important to stop nostalgic or dreaming, but you just need to look around, breathe in the aromas of the surrounding nature, realize that you have new opportunities and prospects for development, how wonderful it is to live here and now, to see all the positive of what you already have, and not dwell on insults, accusations, excuses. And troubles will immediately lose their negative power
7) And, of course, the test of life clearly clears the space around a person, highlighting true friends and loved ones who are ready to lend a shoulder in difficult times and checking the pseudo relationship for truth. It's not for nothing that they say: when you rise, your friends will know WHO YOU are. When you fall, you will find out WHO YOUR FRIENDS are.
And the last. The test of life and personal growth makes it possible to make the most of your resources to solve absolutely any problem. You must always remember that the bird of happiness sits only on an open palm. Therefore, let no test close you from the world, let you lose trust and openness, Faith, Hope and Love. After you go through this, your soul will become much easier, and your life will seem much brighter and more joyful.
Wise people recognize that trials in a person's life are an exam, during which it becomes clear how ready a person is to move on to the next stage of his development.
Trials in a person's life are just a test that reveals the true nature of a person. This is what the sages of the Shaolin Monastery in China knew and used it constantly in their system of training monks, especially when it came to mastering the martial art. After all, self-control skills and imaginative creative thinking are very important for this.
Therefore, before entering the Shaolin Monastery, everyone who wished, of which there was an incredible number, went through a whole system of tests. Thus, the true qualities of a person’s character and his abilities were revealed. Moreover, the tests were very competently and harmoniously integrated into everyday life, becoming absolutely invisible, and therefore very important in terms of manifesting the true nature of a person.
"Unhappiness is the touchstone of character."
Balzac Oh
For example, applicants who were tired and hungry and exhausted from previous exams were treated to hot bean soup. In front of the cauldron with stew, earthenware bowls and very stale cakes were given out.
But when the most impatient received a generous helping of soup, all this splashed instantly on their feet. The fact is that the bottoms of the bowls were made of paper, painted in the color of clay. When the stew got inside, the bottom fell off and everything splashed out on the unlucky hasty. Thus, the applicants inevitably burned themselves and remained hungry.
The more patient and quick-witted, seeing this, simply put the cakes under the bowl, and while they were eating the stew at that time, the stale bread placed underneath, blocking the outflow of the stew, soaked and soaked with a thick broth. Thus, applicants for the belt of a monk had a hearty dinner and at the same time successfully passed the next test.
“One must be able to endure what cannot be avoided.”
Michel Montaigne, French writer and philosopher
A few more quotes on the topic "trials in human life"
As Goethe said: "Difficulties increase as you approach the goal." For this reason, Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (an outstanding German scientist and publicist) correctly noted: “The word “difficulty” should not exist for the creative mind.”, i.e. the mind that will certainly achieve the goal. And for these purposes, Horace advised "In difficult circumstances, keep your mind."
"The highest degree of human wisdom is the ability to adapt to circumstances and remain calm despite external storms."
Daniel Defoe, writer, author of "Robinson Crusoe"
“Remember that the more difficult and difficult the circumstances, the more necessary firmness, activity and determination, and the more harmful apathy.” - Tolstoy L.N. In confirmation of these words, Seneca said: “Nothing in the world deserves such respect as a person who knows how to courageously endure misfortunes.”
Trials in life and time
Another very important point in understanding the essence of what is happening when trials come into a person’s life - “Misfortune is like a coward: it pursues people whom it sees trembling, and runs when they boldly go towards it. "- Juvier A. This is due to the fact that there is always a way out, therefore: "Despair is the greatest of our delusions." - Vauvenargues L. Moreover, "Great misfortunes are not lasting, and small ones are not worth attention." Lebbock D.
And this is true, but there is one "but". If a person has not successfully passed life test, then after a while it will come back into his life. The reason is that a person does not decide, runs away from the difficulties that have arisen, still continuing to make the same mistakes that invite painfully familiar difficulties into his life.
That is why many practicing psychologists and consultants are faced with the fact that sometimes a person walks, as it were, in a vicious circle, stepping on the same rake again and again ... and therefore the same bumps are obtained again and again ... Therefore, do not run away from difficulties , and solve them, overcoming them - you move to the next level of your development.
Your soul progresses and goes to mastery through trials. Trials in life help you, as a person, moderate your reactions and develop higher spiritual qualities, appearing in the form of incentives, disappointments, betrayals, frustrations, mistakes, losses, and even illnesses and injuries.
It is easy to believe that you are a Divine Immortal Being when everything is going the way you want and desire. However, it is much more difficult to remember the purpose and power of your Inner Being and remainor focused on it when life makes its tough demands on you. Only when you face all situations patiently, mercifully and with love can you gain strength and ultimate freedom and develop your ability to live in harmony with your Higher Consciousness.
Trials in life are not given to wear you down, but to push you towards soul mastery. They help you measure the extent of your spiritual understanding and mark the level of progress you have made. For example, in order to move from one class to another in a regular school, you must pass exams. In a similar way, your knowledge is assessed when obtaining a driver's license: for the sake of own security and the safety of others must demonstrate their ability to cope with various situations on the road. In these situations, trial tasks are not given to you to torment or hurt you, but to make sure you haven't missed anything significant in the learning process. They are for your own benefit.
So it is on the path of knowledge. As you move from one class of life to another, you will face a series of tests designed to expand your Inner Wisdom. They are not given to threaten you, although they can certainly be perceived in this way, especially if you are in their very epicenter. These trials are nothing more than neutral help, allowing you to make sure of your own spiritual progress and achieve your goal. In this case, you will be able to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your soul and begin to work on the development of those areas of life that need further growth.
Whatever happens, accept it into your life and see it as part of the Divine timetable drawn up for the development of your soul. When you are in the midst of life's storms, everything is perceived as personal to you. However, with proper distance and objectivity, you will begin to see more clearly and distinctly that trials only shape your soul.
A difficult experience or episode in your life does not mean at all that you failed the "exam" or deserve what is happening to you. Such an idea arises from the false belief that somewhere out there, somewhere, there is an angry Almighty God who is ready to punish you the very minute you make a mistake. This is just a vestige of patriarchal confusion and there is not a grain of truth in it.
God is love and only love, and you are always in the very center of it. The Creator will never leave or condemn you - you yourself leave and criticize yourself. You are like children playing hide and seek with God, believing that you can always leave and get rid of His Sacred Presence, when in fact you cannot. You are always surrounded and protected by the Boundless Spirit.
Trials in your life- this is not divine retribution from a jealous Creator who does not like you or something you have done. They simply indicate that you are actively moving along the path of life lessons. You should not see difficulties as a punishment, but as something that you attract to yourself as you reach the next level of understanding of your sacred nature.
May your actions towards others - including towards yourself - always be full of love and respect. The great teacher and avatar Jesus Christ expressed this in the best way, saying: "What you do with your smaller brothers, you do with Me."
By rudely treating another person, you not only take away respect and hurt his Inner Being, but also harm and humiliate your own Being too. When you blaspheme someone or treat yourself contemptuously, it seems to you that you can always run away and get off easy, especially if no one sees you, but in doing so, for the sake of someone unknown, you compromise your honesty and sacrifice your mercy and dignity.
Every person has a shadow side - for example, "thief", "tyrant", "manipulator", "rapist" - which manifests itself when a person communicates with those whom he regards as higher or lower than himself. At the level of the soul, there is no hierarchy of ranks: all spirits are equal. Any other view is wrong and limits you. When you are tempted to judge or criticize another, see this as a target test given to you by your Higher Self as an opportunity to expand your awareness and perception of those with whom you share the same Divine Spirit.
This exam can take the most different forms: for example, a drunken bum comes up to you, living on the fact that he rents empty bottles, and asks for money; or you are cut off on the road by a young scorcher, swiftly rushing past; or in the store the seller is rude to you; or a messenger delivers the wrong order to you and asks for more money.
How do you meet these mental exams? Are you patient, kind and tolerant? Or impatient, rude and cruel? It doesn't matter if someone is watching you or not. You yourself know the truth.
Each of these situations is given to you on life path as a chance to practice even more love and tenderness. Some of these tests are easier to bear than others. But the harder they are, the faster your soul comes to the next level. Accept mercifully and with dignity all annoying moments, knowing that they are trials and gifts of God.
Faced with unpleasant situation, do not resist, do not resent, and do not allow fear into your heart, but simply recognize that this is evidence that your soul is preparing to take another step in its development. Courageously meet any trials and remember that you are never given something for which you are not yet ready. Moreover, never go through them alone. Call on spirit guides, angels and the Higher Self - they will help you cope with any difficulty that has arisen. Ask them for help and be open to receive it, for it can be given to you at any moment.
Big and small trials stand in your way every day. Some you can handle, others you can't, at least not at first. Don't get annoyed, as there will be other spiritual exams and other opportunities for soul growth. Their flow is unstoppable. It is for this reason that you have come to the earthly plane. Not better way than this one to become the master of your soul and fulfill its goals. What is important is not trials, but the benevolence with which you accept and perceive them. This is the main thing.
Now you can put this lesson into practice.
- If you perceive any test in life or any trouble you encounter, personally at your own expense; if you are afraid that you fully deserve what is happening to you; if you behave appropriately only when you are looked at; if you allow your shadow qualities to rule your life; if most of the time you are annoyed and impatient, then you are new to this lesson.
- If you overreact, panic, or get angry when faced with difficulties; if you become numb with fear or act in retaliation when things do not go as you planned; if you ask, "Why did this happen to me?" - when the Universe throws you the wrong ball; if you dwell on negative events for too long, then you are a student.
- If you accept events as they are and calmly react to situations when they go awry; if you see a correspondence between what you preach and how you act, and strive to bring them into harmony; if you do good deeds, even when no one sees it; if you admit that it is not what happened to you that matters, but how you react to it, then you are an apprentice.
- If you consider all events - both bad and good - as a gift from God, helping to develop your spirit; if you perceive each difficult situation as a sign that your soul is entering the next path of knowledge and experience; if you are calm about difficulties; if you watch your emotions and keep them under control, even when you are being subjected to a sensitive test, then you are on the way to mastery in this lesson.
If you are a beginner:
- Pause and take a few deep breaths before reacting to a nuisance or challenge.
- Do not take personally everything that happens to you, even if it seems to you that someone or something specifically catches you.
- Think of each problem as an exam or test.
- Remember that you are prepared for the exam you are facing.
If you are a student:
- Turn your life over to your Higher Self every morning and ask it to be with you all day.
- Focus on staying grounded and staying calm when facing any emotional, physical, or mental difficulties by doing deep breathing techniques, gymnastics, or prayer to that end.
- Reveal the silver underside in the difficult trials of the past and look for positive aspects in the trials of the present.
- Practice meditation and non-attachment daily so that when something hard happens, you can remain calm.
If you are an apprentice:
- See trials as evidence that your soul is progressing.
- Look for opportunities in every difficult situation or crisis.
- Ask God that every day, at any moment, He will not leave you with His mercy.
- Remind yourself that no matter how gloomy or dark this moment may be, it too will pass, like everything else in life.
If you are on your way to mastery and complete mastery of this lesson:
- Count how many times a day you and your spirit are tested.
- Strive to pass each subsequent exam of the soul with greater calmness and spiritual generosity than the previous one.
- Pray to the Creator that He would give you strength, clarity, patience and love, and you could meet new trials with courage and dignity.
Soul Lesson:
Through trials in life, the soul ascends to the heights of mastery.
Soul Purpose:
Calmly, creatively, with dignity and favorably respond to all life's trials.
based on materials from the book: Sonya Choquet - "The Soul, Its Lessons and Purpose."