In 1 Thessalonians 2, the apostle Paul very personally writes:
For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. (1 Thes 2:3-4)
Whether they come in school or in life, tests aren’t always the most pleasant thing. But tests have value when they reveal what we know and push us to grow. Paul took at least one test very seriously and encouraged everyone to do the same:
“When God tests my heart, what does he see?”
Selfishness or sacrifice? Impurity or holiness? Deception or authenticity? Grudges or grace? Secrets or sanctification? A desire to please men, myself, or him?
The good news of the “gospel of God” (1 Thes 2:9) is that he is willing and able to purify, renew, and transform our hearts that we might “walk in a manner worthy” of the Savior who is calling us “into his own kingdom and glory” (1 Thes 2:12). But Step #1 is always an honest inventory of the condition and content of our hearts.
“When God tests my heart, what does he see?” That’s a question worth wrestling with this weekend.