Deuteronomy 8:2 says, “And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.”

What’s in your heart? Do you really love God? It’s one thing to obey when you feel like you are benefitting, getting something out of the deal, but what about when it’s hard, when it’s just all going wrong?

When your faith is tested, when you are humbled before the world and they are looking at you thinking, “If God was on their side, why is it such a mess,” do you hold fast to faith, do you walk in His commandments, do you hold fast to God, do you love Him even though He seemingly is doing nothing for you?

Of course, that’s a lie straight from the pit of hell. The Israelites were tried and tested. They were humbled, but they were never uncared for.

God provided manna in the wilderness.

God provided water from a rock.

God took care of them down to the details. Their feet never swelled and shoes never wore out.

Verse 16 tells us why He puts them through all that, and it’s to do them good.

God is for you, not against you. You have to know that as a child of God. He might be disciplining you. He might be putting you through a tough training, but it’s out of love and for your good.

He can’t not love. You must be absolutely convinced of His love for you.

Then, when struggle and suffering and trials and humbling and hardships come, we can accept them as gifts. We are allowed to pray “take this from me,” but then we pray, “Not my will but yours be done.”

Why would we pray that way? Because we believe God is in control and all-powerful and He loves us. What is happening to you might be evil. There might be demons working through those submitted to the devil, but it’s still not out of God’s hands.

You aren’t out of His hands or outside of His love.

If He’s allowed it, He has good purposes in it for you. He’s working out your good. And, it probably has something to do with loving God and loving others, because in that lies our salvation.