Do you suppose that those of us who have been tried the most severly have a stronger faith or weaker one?

Question

Seriously, I am a believer but I am curious as to who has the deeper faith in God. Those who have been tried more, or who suffer more or those for whom life has been kinder. What do you think?

Answer 1

wow, i really like ur questions. they kinda help me out in my search too. it depends on the resolve of the person i guess. just because god tests someone more, they may get discouraged in the face of a test and give up on god because they feel that god has given up on them. tough one. thanks!

Answer 2

I think those who have been tried more. If you have never been hurt or broken can you truely appreciate when God heals your broken heart and puts your life back together? If you have never been sick can you know Him as a healer? If you have never been in bondage to something, can you know Him as a deliverer? If you have never been in need, can you know Him as a provider? It's like if you give a millionair a thousand dollars could they appreciate it as much as someone struggling to make ends meet? 1Peter, not sure of the chapter, says if need be our faith is tried by fire so that it can be purified like gold (paraphrased). They puiry gold by heating it up, then removing the impurities, then turn the heat up more and more until it's pure. Teh Bible says we move from faith to faith, how would we move with out tests and trials. 1Peter also say, I think the fourth chapter to not think it strange the things that happen to us, we only experiance what our other brothers and sisters are experiencing.

Answer 3

It depends on what happened. If their faith was tried and shaken, it could be all the weaker if it never recovered. But if they truly questioned and came through with full faith, the faith would be all that much stronger. After all, it would have been proven that said trial would not break their faith.

If you want, you could go on to ask what that says about the person, if their faith was tested and broke/endured. Of course, that's just asking for trouble from atheists.

-Atheist

Answer 4

I believe that the ones with the strongest faith are those who are tested the most severely. It takes faith to make it in the first place. Thus, those who make it through the most or the worst must have a lot of faith in something to keep going.

There's also the (Christian anyway) belief that God only makes you go through something if He knows you can handle it. In other words, He only makes you go through something if He knows that you have the faith to endure it.

Answer 5

I have had the experience of knowing and living with people going through very deep crisis in life. I found that those who were over zealous in faith brain washed themselves so thoroughly that if anything bad happened to them they began to lose faith after a while. On the other hand I found that people having normal level of religion in their lives but who were fighters by instinct could face adversity better; many of the religious types ended their lives because they either were not deeply taken over by belief or for some other reason; but those who fought through adversity came through much better. The answer from my view point is that it depends from person to person; people with average level of faith but with fighting traits do better and trials add other qualities rather than religiosity alone.

Answer 6

A person could not know until his faith had been tested.

One cannot rightfully claim to have strong faith unless he tests that faith.

That applies to any kind of faith.

And, that's where atheists provide Christians a very valuable service. But, the give & take of the Internet isn't much of a test of faith.

Answer 7

I am a muslim but if i believe that everyone is tested and none more so then prophets. eg. Abraham sacrificing his son. I believe that being tested is part of the purpose we are here.

In surah Ankaboot which delves into the topic of tests. it says.


029.002
YUSUFALI: Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, "We believe", and that they will not be tested?

029.003
YUSUFALI: We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false.

and so whenever in moments of difficulty we are supposed to persevere and stay strong in faith.

In a sense there are 4 categories of people, i think.

Difficulty

1) Those whom god tests with hardship and they are strong in faith
2) Those whom god punishes

Ease:

3) Those whom god lets them persist in their evil (punishes them in hereafter)
4) Those whom god rewards abundantly

needless to say prefer to be in 4 and not in 2 or 3. if i can't have 4 settle with 1... :). Those who are tested and persevere are better rewarded in the hereafter.

Answer 8

Those of us who have been tried the most severely have ended up saying " As light is attached to the candle and is detached, the whole being is attached to the god and detached. He may be, even without faith, but goodness, in the heart.

Answer 9

Neither. God's grace makes the biggest difference. Our own personal faith comes in a distant second.

Answer 10

Hardships are what seperate the true Christians from the imposters.
Faith can be broken, or strenghtened by Hardships, But the true followers are always the ones strenghtened, And know, that despite anything that come their way, The LORD will always provide their needs.

Answer 11

good question,I think that a good believer in God would take it as a test and try to pass it successfuly,God tests the individuales he loves the most.we can learn a lot from Jessus's pains,He suffered the most and stayed on his path.
thanks.