A Test or a Temptation: What's the Dif'?

There are actually a lot of differences!

• Who initiates them
• The motivation for them
• The result of them

 We have this sin nature within each one of us that makes us want to open that door called temptation. We wrestle. As a born again Christian though, we are no longer slaves to those temptaions and we can say "no!"
God never ever leads us to that door and tantalizes us with sin. Yikes. He died so we could be set free! Why would He want to tempt us into death again?

Satan however, wants to draw us as far from God as possible. So he is pretty gleeful when we come across one of those doors that are out there. His goal is to steal, kill, and destroy, so Satan will use anything within us or around us to do just that.

God's goal is to strengthen our faith. 
My husband is a good example. He is keen on physical health - getting stronger and gaining physical endurance.
Because of that goal, he does some things and doesn't do other things.
He does work out with weights 4 days a week. He does ride his bike vigorously at least 4 or 5 days a week.
He does play hockey 3 days a week. He does eat healthfully.He does get up early to give himself time to focus on these exercises.
He does not eat junk food. He does not sit around watching TV. (we don't even have a TV).
Well, you get the picture.

Likewise, if we want to increase our faith muscles we need to work them. 
How can we do this?

This is where God steps in and creates a boot camp with obstacle courses, stretches, and great weight bearing exercises.
His boot camp is called tests and trials and tribulations.
But He does NOT mean them for harm.
He means them to prepare us for what He has called us for in His Kingdom. 
He puts our faith through the purifying fire so we can come out stronger and more able.

Remember that balance from a couple posts ago?
Those circumstances have God's purpose behind them. 
so if we look at them through the lens of God's goodness and purpose and actually see our faith getting stronger just like we see the long term effect of those weights and biking and hockey, we will be stronger and ready when God opens the door to opportunities He puts forth.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2