The NIV 365 Day Devotional
Why Does God Test Us?
God tested the Israelites’ faith. Would they trust in his ability to provide for them? They had seen his incredible power in the plagues, the crossing of the Red Sea, the manna and quail and in so many other ways. Yet they still grumbled and complained. By doing so, they failed the test.
Life is a laboratory of faith. God tests us to confirm the strength of our faith and the sincerity of our commitment to him. In Genesis 22, for example, God tested Abraham (see Ge 22:1). Would Abraham trust God even if it required the sacrifice of his beloved son?
It’s important to distinguish between testing and temptation. We know God doesn’t “tempt” anyone (Jas 1:13). It is Satan who is the “tempter” (Mt 4:3; 1Co 7:5). Yet God can use Satan’s temptations to test us. God redeems what Satan intends for evil and uses it to accomplish something good.
Taken from the NIV Starting Place Study Bible.