Faith-testing times can be faith-strengthening times.

信心受试炼的时刻，就是信心增长的时刻。

When he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. Job 23:10

祂试炼我之后，我必如精金。-约伯记23章10节

During an interview, singer and songwriter Meredith Andrews spoke about being overwhelmed as she tried to balance outreach, creative work, marital issues, and motherhood. Reflecting on her distress, she said, “I felt like God was taking me through a refining season, almost through a crushing process.”

在一次专访中，福音创作歌手梅瑞迪丝·安德鲁斯（Meredith Andrews）谈到，她在传福音、拓展创作事业时，还要维持良好的婚姻关系和克尽母职，对此她曾感到心力交瘁。回顾这段低潮时期，她说：“这过程就像是上帝带领我经历淬炼，几乎将我击垮。”

Job was overwhelmed after losing his livelihood, his health, and his family. Worse still, although Job had been a daily worshiper of God, he felt that the Lord was ignoring his pleas for help. God seemed absent from the landscape of his life. Job claimed he could not see God whether he looked to the north, south, east, or west (Job 23:2–9).

当约伯失去了家产、健康及儿女，他受到很大的打击。更糟的是，即使他每日敬拜上帝，却觉得上帝对他的呼求充耳不闻，上帝似乎在他的人生舞台中缺席了。约伯声称，他无论往哪个方向去，都遍寻不着上帝（约伯记23章2-9节）。

In the middle of his despair, Job had a moment of clarity. His faith flickered to life like a candle in a dark room. He said, “[God] knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (v. 10). Christians are tried and purified when God uses difficulty to burn away our self-reliance, pride, and earthly wisdom. If it seems as if God is silent during this process and He is not answering our cries for help, He may be giving us an opportunity to grow stronger in our faith.

然而在绝望之中，约伯也有醒悟的一刻。他的信心再次被挑旺起来，就如暗室中的烛火重燃生机，他说：“然而祂知道我所行的路，祂试炼我之后，我必如精金”（10节）。基督徒会面临试炼且被炼净，而这正是上帝透过困境要使我们不再倚靠自己，并除去我们的骄傲和属世的智慧。在这过程中，若我们觉得上帝似乎沉默不语、不理会我们的呼求，或许正是祂使我们灵命增长的机会。

Pain and problems can produce the shining, rock-solid character that comes from trusting God when life is hard.

即使人生陷入低谷，只要信靠上帝，磨难与困境最终能让我们拥有闪耀的光芒，以及坚若磐石的品格。

Dear Lord, help me to believe that You are with me, even when I can’t see You working in my life. I surrender myself to Your purpose for any suffering I may endure.

亲爱的主，即使我看不见祢在我的生命中动工，
仍求祢帮助我相信祢与我同在。
无论我将承受何种磨难，我愿顺服祢的旨意。

Job 23:1-12New International Version (NIV)

Job

23 Then Job replied:

2 “Even today my complaint is bitter;
    his hand[a] is heavy in spite of[b] my groaning.
3 If only I knew where to find him;
    if only I could go to his dwelling!
4 I would state my case before him
    and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would find out what he would answer me,
    and consider what he would say to me.
6 Would he vigorously oppose me?
    No, he would not press charges against me.
7 There the upright can establish their innocence before him,
    and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.

8 “But if I go to the east, he is not there;
    if I go to the west, I do not find him.
9 When he is at work in the north, I do not see him;
    when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.
10 But he knows the way that I take;
    when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
11 My feet have closely followed his steps;
    I have kept to his way without turning aside.
12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;
    I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.

整理：于姊妹