When the Lord is blessing, don’t be afraid to receive it. His faithful care is often wrapped in small moments—tweaks, nudges, confrontations—that shape us long before the big issues arise. This is what it means to walk closely with Him: we let the Holy Spirit fix the small things before they become mountains we have to climb.

1 John 5:11-13 makes the purpose of the letter clear: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” It’s not about guessing or hoping—we are meant to have confidence in our salvation. That assurance isn’t based on how we feel but on the truth that life is in the Son. If you’ve truly encountered Christ—if you’ve been to that “other world”—you never return unchanged.

John gives us four tests to examine the authenticity of our faith:

The Truth Test

If your life is grounded in the truth, it should reflect transformation. “But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them” (1 John 2:5). When the truth is alive in you, it begins to shape everything—your choices, your desires, your relationships.

The Sin Test

We are saints who sin—not sinners trying to be saints. 1 John 3:4-8 shows the clear divide between those who continue in habitual sin and those born of God. “No one who is born of God will continue to sin.” The presence of conviction and the desire to turn from sin is a marker of regeneration.

The Obedience Test

We can’t claim to know God and yet reject His commandments. 1 John 2:3 says, “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.” Obedience is not legalism—it’s love in action.

The Love Test

If God is love, then we must reflect that love. “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness” (1 John 2:9). Love is the heartbeat of true faith. It’s more than a feeling—it’s a lifestyle.

These aren’t boxes to check, but signs of a growing relationship with Jesus. If these things are present, you can walk boldly, knowing that you are saved and your life has been changed.

So, when the Lord is refining you—rejoice. When He tweaks the small things, don’t resist. That’s His love, gently forming you into someone who doesn’t just believe in eternal life but lives it daily.

Written by Jeyran Main

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