Tested Through Solitude

“ … God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.” (2 Chronicles 32:31)

God left Hezekiah all alone to see what was in his heart.

Hezekiah was zealous when he was leading God’s people. He was pious when he was celebrating the Passover. He was passionate when he was reforming the temple. 

But what would Hezekiah do when he was standing alone?

Faith is awakened in revival, but it is tested in withdrawal.

God cannot examine our faith in seasons of ecstasy. It is easy to bow when we stand near the transfigured Christ. The real test comes in the dreary courtyard, when we are left all alone and Christ stands beyond earshot. 

Every so often, the Lord will leave us alone to see what happens when we are not carried by sights and signs, by whispers and wonders. 

Where does our heart go when we are left all alone? 

When God turns his eyes, will we sin? 

When he turns his back, will we gossip about him? 

Or will we stay loyal to Jesus—through thick clouds of glory and thin haze of confusion—even when he’s not in the room?

The season that feels like an omen of doom is in fact an opportunity to demonstrate our love. The Father steps back, not to shame us, but to get a better look at his beautiful handiwork. In the dreadful distance, we can recite our redemption by heart, though the Tutor stands for a moment in the shadows.

Hezekiah failed the test. The moment the Father left town, the son turned the temple into a showroom for his friends. His obedience was conditional upon his perceived proximity to God.

The cross of Christ demands unconditional allegiance. The One who bore our hell to give us heaven can be trusted in the fleeting season of solitude.