One of the greatest tests of Christianity is not how we handle the struggles of life when we are still trying to “come up,” but rather how we handle success when we’ve already arrived. Many people are faithful to God in times of need, but as soon as the Lord blesses them, they forget the very principles that led to their promotion. This is why the real test comes when you are up, not when you’re down.
Scripture teaches us that the journey to success is often filled with trials and tests that reveal what is truly in our hearts. Deuteronomy 8:2 (KJV) says, “And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.” God allows us to face different situations as a proving ground to prepare us for greater things.
Testing Your Relationship with Authority
One of the greatest indicators of where you stand in your Christian walk is how you relate to authority figures, especially spiritual authority. Some people claim to love God but are unwilling to follow the paths He has laid out. They want the blessings of God without submitting to the structures and disciplines that come with walking in His way. However, as Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” You cannot say you love God and ignore the guidance and leadership He has set over you.
Consider the life of David. He didn’t ascend to the throne of Israel all at once. Before he became king over all of Israel, God first tested him with a smaller assignment—reigning over Judah for six and a half years (2 Samuel 2:11). How David handled this “smaller” test determined his readiness for the greater responsibility that was ahead. Similarly, where you find yourself today is a proving ground for the future God has prepared for you.
From Poverty to Wealth: The Test of Stewardship
God often tests our character and readiness through seasons of lack before bringing us into seasons of abundance. The Bible is clear that God uses poverty or purposeful deprivation as a tool to shape us into faithful stewards of the resources He will entrust to us later. James 1:2-4 (KJV) advises, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
Poverty, or seasons of limitation, is not meant to break you but to build you. It is a phase of refining where discipline and self-control are cultivated. If you fail to learn these virtues during the period of lack, you are likely to waste the blessings when they eventually come. Proverbs 21:20 (KJV) states, “There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.” Your ability to wisely manage what little you have now determines how God will trust you with more in the future.
Are You Passing Through a Test?
Every phase in your life serves as a test for the next level. The post you currently occupy, the relationships you are entrusted with, and the resources at your disposal are all tests that determine your readiness for more. Jesus made this principle clear in Luke 16:10 (KJV), “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” Handle your present responsibilities with care and integrity, for they are indicators of what lies ahead.
The process of rising in life is often accompanied by various challenges that test our faithfulness, humility, and obedience. Do not despise the training ground or view it as punishment. Rather, see it as a divine setup for your next level. Those who forget the lessons of the training phase are bound to fall when the blessing comes.
In conclusion, recognize the season you are in and handle it with the seriousness it deserves. Your current situation, whether in lack or in plenty, is a test of your heart and readiness for the next level. Stay faithful, remain disciplined, and keep walking in the ways of the Lord.
“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another” (Psalm 75:6-7 KJV).
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