Then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know every human heart), so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.

~1 Kings 8:39-40 NIV

Most of my family struggles with some issue that affects the heart. Several family members have had heart attacks. Arrhythmias, leaky heart valves, and high blood pressure are common with us, as well. A good physician wants to get to the heart of the matter and may order a stress test.

When I went for my stress test, the test was more difficult than I imagined. After walking the treadmill, I was sweaty, exhausted, and ready to go home. The test results revealed my heart was generally in good condition … thankfully.

For us Christians, God may order a spiritual stress test from time to time to reveal the condition of our hearts. It can come in various forms, such as marital stress, job loss anxiety, or financial stress. We can become tired of constant problems and stress in an area of life. But its presence serves a purpose by bringing a problem to light.

The irony is that the stress test is not for the Great Physician to see our problem. He administers it so we can see our own heart problems. He already knows.

We need to see the issue and the root cause. It may be misplaced trust or unrealistic expectations we’ve placed in our spouse, job, or even money. Hopefully, when we understand, we can change.

Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish.

~Psalm 25:17 NIV

God loves us enough to help us see our problem and repair it. When we know better, we do better with the help of the Holy Spirit. God works in our lives to bring the troubles of our hearts to light so He can free us from our anguish. Thank goodness God knows every human heart.

Trust God in the stress and know He allows it for your spiritual growth. Then, meditate on what God taught you through the stress tests.

Father, show me what the stress in my life reveals about my heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2025: The Stress Test: Melinda Cooper: All Rights Reserved