Thin Air, High Hope

Lately, I’ve heard friends going through tough times say that Satan is testing them. A hard day comes, and they blame it on Satan. A conflict arises, and they say Satan is trying to get to them. They face illness or loss and feel like Satan is working to break them down.

I’m not a biblical scholar by any means, but I’m not so sure that perspective lines up with scripture. And why does it matter? Personally I think it matters because believing that a trial comes from the loving hand of a Father is very different from feeling like some wicked force is out to get you at every turn.

If we assume that only comfort is allowed by God and only suffering comes from Satan, we are dangerously close to embracing a prosperity gospel. To offer a simplified definition, this is the belief that if we are walking with God and doing everything right, we will experience comfort, success, and prosperity. This idea is appealing but ultimately misleading. Scripture does promise blessings for obedience, but it never guarantees a life free from hardship. In fact, Jesus teaches the opposite: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). 

We see a similar misunderstanding in John 9:1-34, when Jesus’ disciples saw a blind man and immediately sought to assign blame. They assumed his suffering must be a direct result of sin, asking, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2). But Jesus corrected them, saying, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:3).

The disciples viewed the man’s blindness through a lens of cause and effect, assuming suffering must always be a punishment for wrongdoing. In doing so, they risked missing the greater truth, that God had allowed this situation for a higher purpose.

In a similar way, we sometimes view our trials as merely the work of Satan, attributing hardship to his attacks while overlooking the possibility that God may be using our struggles to shape, refine, or reveal something greater in us. While the disciples were quick to assume sin was the cause, we can sometimes be quick to assume Satan is the cause. Yet Jesus’ response reminds us that suffering does not need to be about fault or opposition. Suffering can actually be an opportunity for God’s glory to be displayed.

This perspective shifts everything. Instead of seeing trials as something to escape, we can start asking: What if God is using this to refine me? And even, “What if this test could be used to glorify God, to show those around me a more complete picture of who He is?”.

God Tests, But He Never Tempts

There is a difference between testing and temptation. While both provide opportunity for endurance, the Scripture teaches that while God allows tests, it is equally clear that He will never tempt us. “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. (James 1:13-14).

This is an important distinction. God tests us to strengthen our faith, but temptation, leading us into sin, which always results in harm to ourselves or others, comes from our own desires or from the enemy.

Throughout the Bible, we see God testing His people to reveal their hearts and refine their faith. “And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” (Deuteronomy 8:2).

Even Abraham, the father of faith, was tested: “Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham.” (Genesis 22:1)

And far from being a sign that God has abandoned us, our tests and trials are actually part of our journey with Him. As Peter reminds us, “Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.” (1 Peter 4:12-13).

What if we stopped being surprised by trials, shifted our perspectives, and started seeing them as invitations to grow?

Tests That Strengthen, Not Discourage

As a parent, though an imperfect one, I often reflect on how God, our perfect Father, may view us as His children. Over the years, I’ve tested my own kids, not to be cruel, but to help them grow.

I tell them they can have one cookie, then leave the full cookie jar on the counter. I ask them to complete a chore and step away to see if they will obey. I drop them off at school and remind them to be kind, then leave them in an environment where they must choose how to act. I sit with them in their heartache, encouraging forgiveness, and then give them space to decide the course of their hearts.

This kind of parenting builds confidence, awareness, and resilience. It helps children understand their strengths and weaknesses, where they need to grow, and even how to accept failure. Without these “tests,” character wouldn’t develop. And after each one, hopefully they can return to us for encouragement, guidance, and, when needed, correction.

God does the same with us, allowing us opportunities to choose and grow so that our faith produces something meaningful, leading us toward maturity and completeness as His children. “Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-4, HCSB).

Jesus: Tested as We Are

Even Jesus experienced testing. “Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.” (Hebrews 5:8)

At the very beginning of His ministry, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tested. Satan seized the opportunity, presenting temptations. Jesus was hungry, not because of Satan, but because of the natural hardship of the test. Satan tried to exploit that hunger, offering an easy way out, one that would require Jesus to step outside of God’s will.

But Jesus resisted, leaning into God’s Word. He endured two more temptations, refusing shortcuts and choosing faithfulness. Eventually, the desert season ended, and His character was strengthened for even greater challenges ahead.

And just as He faced choices in His trials, so do we.

We Also Have a Choice in Our Tests

When I experience deep hurt from someone, I face a test. I can choose to forgive as God calls me to, trusting Him as the ultimate judge and avenger, surrendering my right to control justice, (I feel it’s important to note here that wisdom and boundaries are still necessary in harmful relationships).

But within this test, Satan presents another option: one that appeals to my desire for revenge, validation, and immediate justice. The situation itself isn’t from Satan, it’s a test. We will all be hurt by someone at some point or endure relational conflict. However, how I choose to respond will either deepen my trust in God or expose my own struggle for control.

If I choose trust, I am declaring who I believe God to be: a God of justice, a God who sees, a God who does not forget my suffering and has the wisdom to bring about the very best outcome. But if I choose my own way, I am, in effect, declaring Him insufficient, lacking the power, justice, or faithfulness to do what He promises.

The painful relationship is just that, a painful relationship. But my response to this test determines whether it becomes a refining moment for God’s glory or a missed opportunity to grow in faith.

Refined Like Gold

We will face many tests and trials in our lives. This truth is not hidden in Scripture. But God also makes it clear that trials refine us, just as fire refines gold, creating something pure and beautiful:

“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.” (1 Peter 1:7).

And we are not alone in these trials. We can pray, like the Psalmist:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (Psalm 139:23-24).

We can take heart in knowing that Jesus understands our struggles firsthand and that He provides a place of refuge where we can return again and again, finding the help, support, and grace we need.

“So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:14-16).

So what if we stopped seeing every hardship as an attack and started seeing it as an opportunity?

Not just an opportunity to grow, but an opportunity to draw nearer to the One who walks with us, understands our struggles, and gives us the grace to endure them.

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For Reflection:

• How do I typically interpret hardships in my life—do I see them as attacks from the enemy, or as opportunities God may be using to refine me? How might shifting my perspective change the way I respond to trials?
• When facing difficult situations, do I trust God’s justice and wisdom, or do I struggle with a desire for control, immediate resolution, or personal validation? What would it look like for me to surrender my response to Him in faith?
• Jesus was tested but remained faithful, trusting in God’s plan rather than taking an easier way out. In what areas of my life am I tempted to take shortcuts or rely on my own strength instead of leaning on God? How can I follow Jesus’ example in choosing faithfulness over comfort?
• How can reflecting on the character and goodness of God help me find strength in my struggles? What attributes of God—His faithfulness, justice, mercy, or presence—bring me the most comfort in times of hardship?