Teaching & Testing

Author - Jauhmar Ellick

Yerrr, what's good everyone. Welcome back to another week of blogs, I'm excited for this one so sit back and enjoy.

I believe life is just one big test with pop quizzes along the way. The tests and quizzes we run into are always God ordained. The ultimate Teacher handing out tests and quizzes to test us on how well we know the material. Many time we fail, crashing and burning with failing grades. But how are we failing if the one giving out the test is also the one who is teaching us the material? Lemme put it like this… we fail because we don't listen to the teacher when He’s teaching. We figure, “Ahh, I got this. I’ll just study for a good 30 minutes and I’ll be set.” My friend, if you have that mentality you will continue to fail in the areas He’s testing you in.

I’ll give you an example of how God was teaching me and then tested me on the things I was taught. Not long before I came to The Fellowship, I was working at a car wash. It was a chill little spot. Nothing but cleaning cars, picking up trash, and making the store look as presentable as possible. Two to three months later, the job became very monotonous. I became bored. My patience ran thin because I felt that I was doing all the work. On top of that there were a couple of problems coming up at the home. I started to become angry and to popped off easily. I remember sitting in my room trying to relax after a very long and irritating day at work. In a soft and  calming voice I heard “What's wrong?” “Why are you mad?” I went into a long and familiar spiel about things going on in my life and how work sucked and that my family was just going crazy. I felt as if I was going to burst into tears.

Then all of a sudden the soft voice lead me to Colossians 3:23. “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for The Lord rather than people.”  He reminded me “I put you there for a reason. Relax and enjoy the process.” When He said that I knew it was from the Lord. My dad sent me the exact same message a couple of days earlier. “He put you there for a reason.” In that moment, it's like everything changed. My attitude, my everything just changed because of that small still voice quieting my soul. It’s like I was working for the people and focused on my circumstances rather than having the mindset of “This is a Kingdom Carwash." 

The next day I went to work with a new mentality, to just work for The Lord rather than for people… and it worked. It's like there was joy oozing from the pores of skin. I felt lighter, actually excited to get to work. Because I wasn’t doing company businesses, I was about God’s business. This attitude adjustment transferred into the house. Why get upset at things I can't control instead of listening and being the salt that brings some flavor to my desperately needy family?

I’m not going to lie to you saying I was perfect all the time. There were times when God tested my patience and anger would let the get the best of me. But I love the word "forgiveness." If we confess our sins to Him He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). We may fail but it's all about getting back up through His power within us to continue moving forward. I’m learning that it’s not me doing the work, it's Christ that lives on the inside of me who’s doing everything. As long as we are abiding in Christ, the fruits He desires are produced. Tests can be passed. Jesus is like the teacher walked around the classroom asking questions, waiting for you to raise your hand.  He comes to your desk and gets in the “ teacher stance” to literally guide you through the entire problem to make sure you get your answer. At other times, when the entire class has ben tested, and failed , the Teacher goes over the test relying on you to provide the correct answers. That's the mindset we should have. He’s the Teacher, ready and WILLING TO GIVE YOU THE ANSWERS ON THE TEST. All you gotta do is sit back, relax and pay attention.  
 
Ladies and gentlemen, how has God taught you then tested you? If we are being real, we are in a school session everyday of our lives until He calls us home. Until that glorious day when Christ returns or we go home we should be studying the Word, listening to His every instruction so we can pass the test. I hope my experiences prompts memories in your life when the Lord has been at work teaching and testing. I'm looking forward to hearing some of your stories.

Scriptures for the week:
JOHN 14:15-17
JOHN 16:13
2 TIMOTHY 3:16
JAMES 1:2-3