Tested Mortar: How God Uses Life's Tests and Trials to Strengthen Us

By Audrey J. Murrell Ph.D.

We are always being tested by the circumstances, situations, and people in our lives. It is often very challenging to understand and make sense out of these tests, trials, troubles and uncertainties. We often wonder if it's something that we have done to create these circumstances and how we can endure or avoid these challenges in the future. When (and not "IF") we encounter trouble in the future, we think to ourselves, "what have I done wrong to cause this to happen?" Life's journey is not defined by how few problems we avoid or tests we escape, but by who we turn to that helps us to endure.
Our life's journey is one that uses all of what we experience to shape and strengthen who we are, especially as people of faith and believers in Jesus Christ. This book is entitled "Tested Mortar" to remind us that mortar gets its strength when pressure, stress, and strain are applied to it. Mortar that is untested is not strong. Mortar that is untested is useless. Untested mortar does not reflect the skill and expertise of the builder. We must realize that we are God's mortar. If we are not tested, we cannot be strengthened; we cannot be fruitful; we cannot be used as an example to others; we cannot reflect God's Glory. "Tested Mortar" is how we understand what resilience means in our lives and for others within the community of believers. To help us on this journey, this book examines the lessons we learn from several figures in scripture in the lives of Job, Jeremiah, Esther, Daniel, Ruth, Nehemiah, and David.
The purpose of our journey through these stories is not to help us discover ways to avoid life's tests. Our goal is to better understand the necessary roles the faith plays as God uses the circumstances of our lives to build our spiritual resilience and our strength. Whether you are reading these stories as part of your own Bible study or as part of a study group, the hope is that these seven lessons will serve to encourage, equip and energize you to not only survive the tests and troubles of life, but to serve as your witness of what is captured by one of my favorite scriptures found in Romans chapter 8, verse 28: "and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jan 1, 1900
• ISBN: 9781667863658

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For more information on the author,

Audrey J. Murrell, Ph.D.

visit her website at:

www.AudreyMurrell.com

Copyright © 2009, 2022 by Audrey J. Murrell, Ph.D.

All rights reserved worldwide. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

All scripture quotations in this book, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society published by Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Editing and formatting of this book provided by YCS Global, LLC, owners Steven & MaryJo Young. www.YCSGlobal.com.

ISBN: 978-1-66786-365-8

Dedication

To my family in Christ at Bidwell Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, PA.

Thank you for your love and support, and for giving me a church home that is filled with praise to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Acknowledgements

In memory of my dear friend, Margie Jonnet,

who helped me shape the pages of this book

throughout the days of her life.

Special thanks to friends who encouraged me, read drafts, commented and corrected this work:  Julia, Gordon, Floyd, Stacy, Sharon, DeNeice, John, Jeannette, Steve and MaryJo.

Prelude

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.

Ephesians 2:19-22

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter 1: Mortar’s Tale

Chapter 2: Job

Chapter 3: Jeremiah

Chapter 4: Esther

Chapter 5: Daniel

Chapter 6: Nehemiah

Chapter 7: Ruth

Chapter 8: David

Chapter 9: Mortar’s Testimony

Appendix A: Mortar’s Prayer

Appendix B: 7 Principles of Tested Mortar

Preface

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you, too, are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.

(Ephesians 2:19-22)

As I write this preface, I sit in a hotel room looking out of the window at a large highway construction site in the business district of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Massive structures are being put together to help people reach their daily destinations. Large beams are being raised to help link different parts of this great city. On the ground below this construction site are piles of sand and gravel. It rained yesterday, so the water has changed the consistency of the various piles of sand, probably changing how the builder will use that material.

Then it hit me. That’s the reason for mortar! When I described this book as it was under construction, several people asked why I selected the metaphor of mortar to talk about how God uses tests and trials to shape and direct our life journey. Paul actually said it best in I Corinthians 3:9: "For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building."  The image of mortar and my purpose for selecting it to tell this story are to remind us of our divine purpose as God’s building.

Mortar is used to keep a building intact. We have a purpose or work to do when God calls us into the fellowship of believers. But in order to be used by God, to build his kingdom, we must have strong mortar. The only way to know if mortar is strong is to test it. Mortar describes some of the key qualities that we need to have and how tests help us to develop and strengthen us.

This book is written for people who know and have accepted God in their lives, but are struggling and trying to discover who and what they are to God. Once I confessed and believed that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and that Christ died and rose again that I may have eternal life, I began to ask the question —What now? Why did God call me? What happens next? Who am I to God? Why do things seem to get tougher even though I am now saved?

My answers to these and many other questions were found as I prayed, read, and studied the stories of the seven people of the Bible that you will encounter in the chapters of this book. God revealed to me important lessons through each one of these people, so I felt compelled to share these lessons with you. The Bible is filled with an abundance of life lessons. I picked these seven stories to describe qualities of mortar that we must develop throughout our lives. There are many other examples throughout the Bible.  These seven had a dramatic impact on me and my hope is that the same will be true for you.

If you are seeking to know God better, then I wrote this book for you. If you want to better understand how God can use the circumstances of life to make you stronger, then keep reading. If you are going through some trials or have been through some stuff, then keep turning the pages. I believe this book is about the journey that all believers must and will take. But it is a journey where we all know and have faith in how it will end.

Writing this book helped me to understand that the things that have happened in my life are not as accidental or chaotic as I once believed. Trials, tests, and trouble have a purpose. These circumstances are used by God to strengthen us to withstand the world as we seek to be more like Him. While we are each God’s building, we are also under construction. This means that He does not expect us to be perfect, but we must submit ourselves to be molded and constructed by the master builder, who is Jesus Christ.

We must earnestly seek Him, which means to understand and walk as Jesus did. Keep in mind that all of this requires participation on our parts. The Bible contains active words — seek, remain, follow, bear. This requires not only a life of faith, but a life of action. This is the lesson that we will learn over and over again from our seven figures in the Bible — that mortar becomes strong by having faith in Christ, by allowing itself to be shaped, molded, and formed; and by earnestly seeking Him. We will see how this lesson is learned within the lives of these seven individuals. We will witness the importance of a life of active faith. Also, we will understand the role of tests in building us up as believers, and we will see that, succeed or fail, God’s glory is revealed when we allow ourselves to be shaped and used by the master builder.

Before we begin our journey, an important point needs to be shared and accepted. We must begin this journey together with a true acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We can’t really begin our walk through the lessons to be learned within this book unless we know and accept Jesus Christ as real and as the one who died so that we may have eternal life. If you are unsure, take time right now to read, pray and accept this passage from the Bible. Read this passage and ask Jesus to come into your life. Thank God for His love.

That if you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

My prayer is that as you read these stories, you will find a witness to the important purpose that tests and trials have in your life. In reading about these individuals, may you recognize an important truth — that God’s purpose in our lives is to help us bear much fruit, to bring us closer to Him, and to shape us into mortar that strengthens His kingdom. Always keep close to your heart that we are God’s workmanship, His building.

Being God’s building may not seem particularly attractive or sexy, but trust me — it is a very strong compliment. It shows us that God knows us today, but more importantly, knows what we will become tomorrow. It also reminds us of our strength and that it all comes from the master builder, Jesus Christ. No matter what we go through, we can rely on God’s strength as we endure the tests, trials, and circumstances of life. Remember, the Bible already