“To those entrusted with the secret things of God … it’s required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” 1 Cor. 4:2
Simply put, God tests those He loves. He does not tempt us (Jms. 1:13), but He does test us. ~~Why?
For His glory to be manifested, to see if we stray or if we follow Him, to reveal and purify our heart motive, and check and refine our character. Let’s look at some scripture illustrations:
- Is. 48:10 “I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake, for My own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield My glory to another.”
- Ex. 16:4; 15:25 “In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.”
- 2 Chr. 32:31 “God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.”
- 1 Chr. 29:17 “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent.”
- Prv. 17:3 “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.”
- 1 Thess. 2:4 “We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.”
Jesus’ disciples went through severe testing before they were transformed from hesitant followers to dynamic leaders as these tests help to strengthen and develop their character in preparation for the tasks ahead. ~~If we consider ourselves disciple’s of Christ, should we expect anything different?
Pause for a moment, picture yourself in this scenario, and then imagine your response: You are at the doctor’s office and he has just announced to you that a mass was found in your MRI brain scan. ~~~What would go through your mind at this moment? How would you react? Who’s the first person you would want to talk with? Would your initial response be one of peace or one of terror? …..
Truth: The more intimate my relationship is with God, the more we reflect Him WHEN the test comes.
Well, we used to wonder about this kind of scenario … and God granted Betsy the opportunity to live it a week ago this very hour. Her reaction? A “twilight zone” experience, yet one of amazing peace. In that frozen moment in time, all that went through her head was “Praise You Lord…here we go. What are You going to do to glorify Yourself through me with this deal?!”
The rest of the week was full of subsequent doc visits and tests and for those of you who are hearing about this for the first time, we are so sorry to shock you this way. But we want you to know that we are doing really, really, really, really, really well. And we’ve attached is a word document explaining details if you’d like to know more.
1 Cor. 4:20 tells us, “ The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power.” And we Cleary’s are experiencing this truth first hand. God is so very real, so very tangible; He infuses us with His wisdom and power, and loves each of us more that we can begin to fathom.
We love you. Thank you for showering us with your loving kindness and prayers.
Shaun and Betsy
ATTACHMENT: Findings and Miracles:
Betsy experienced a vertigo-type episode 4:30am Mar. 23, 2011, with substantial intermittent headaches since November 2010. Subsequent tests ruled out many things including stroke, but revealed a pecan sized benign (non-cancerous, slow growing) convexity meningioma in her left frontal lobe of her brain.
Here are some details:
Grade I – Benign meningioma: This non-cancerous type of brain tumor grows slowly, has distinct borders and is the most common type of primary brain tumor, accounting for approximately 30% of all brain tumors. It originates in the meninges, (which are the outer three layers of tissue between the skull and the brain that cover and protect the brain just under the skull) and grows very slowly. In Betsy’s case, because the mass is small and is causing her minimal trouble, it will simply continue to be monitored with an MRI every 6 months.
Doctor’s are still doing tests to determine the cause of the Mar. 23 episode, but at this juncture believe that this tumor is minimally related at best. Probable cause: A compression injury to the neck coupled with an inner ear thing; the tumor is simply a red herring finding.
God’s hand has been in this whole thing from the start. His miracles and divine touch this week cannot be adequately explained in words on a page, so you will just have to talk with Betsy and observe her undeniable peace and excitement for yourself!
We appreciate your prayers and feel them powerfully. We will keep you posted!
Praise You Lord Jesus.
S&B
