Being a Christian doesn't promise us an easy, comfortable life. In fact, we might find that we experience more difficulties and go through more testing times than those who don't believe, either because God’s plan leads us through challenges, or because the enemy tries to make things difficult for us. So to prepare us for the tough times we’ll face, God tests us, and each test stretches us in a different way. We might go through something that stretches us spiritually and makes our faith develop. He might lead us into a situation that challenges our old ideas and replaces them with new ones. That’s when He stretches us mentally. When we feel He’s testing us in a relationship, He’s encouraging us to grow our patience and love for others, while losing the selfish part of our nature. Sometimes though, we’ll come up against a problem that we just can’t solve, an obstacle that we can’t move. In those times, God asks us to trust that He’s got things under control, and He’ll either supernaturally remove the obstacle, or lead us in a different direction. All of these smaller tests are God’s way of getting us ready for the bigger things we’ll face. If we’ve already been stretched in that area, we’ll be ready to face the real tests when they come because we’ve already experienced something similar. James 1:12 tells us that ‘God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation’ (NLT). Being tested is uncomfortable and difficult, but when we stick with it and walk alongside God through the tough times, He’ll allow us to do great things for Him. So if you’re feeling like you’re being stretched to breaking point, don't give up - trust that God’s preparing you for something amazing, and let Him help you through it.