Blessings--a trial?

My thoughts today have been prompted by the blogspot over at Girltalk.

Sometimes, when things are going pretty well...and we haven't experienced any "major" crisis--it's tempting to think that God isn't testing us. I guess sometimes we can tend to equate prosperity and blessings with "easy" and "success". But you know, the older I get the more I realize that when things seem to be going well...bills are paid with money left at the end of the month, kids are healthy--school going well, and so forth...that actually blessings can be a sort of test. Those easy times test our character and our faith--will I continue to turn to God when I am not "forced" to? Will I continue to seek answers in His word even when I sense clear directions and I know we are in His will? When things are going well, I think as Americans in particular we tend to lose sight of God.

Here is a quote from Spurgeon that I thought was good:

"But another testing moment is prosperity. Oh! there have been some of God's people, who have been more tried by prosperity than by adversity. Of the two trials, the trial of adversity is less severe to the spiritual man than that of prosperity. It is a terrible thing to be prosperous. You had need to pray to God, not only to help you in your troubles, but to help you in your blessings. Mr. Whitfield once [requested prayer] for a young man who had-- stop, you will think it was for a young man who had lost his father or his property. No! 'The prayers of the congregation are desired for a young man who has become heir to an immense fortune, and who feels he has need of much grace to keep him humble in the midst of riches.' That is the kind of prayer that ought to be put up; for prosperity is a hard thing to bear."

Easy times are a hard time to bear as well...it's during that time we can let our guard down and forget to seek God as our helper...it's during that time our flesh can easily rise up in us in the form of pride. Then the "hard" stuff hits, and we lack the knowledge and faith to endure.

Perhaps you find yourself shaken during most tests...it could be because you let your guard down during the "easy" times. So, seek God all the time...never let your guard down. It's always a battle going on. Consider the "easy" times as breaks from the war. But expect the "hard" times most. Be blessed in the "easy" times, but don't expect your life to be "easy" all the time...that will come in heaven!