Why was Abraham Tested?

In Genesis 22 we learn that God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son as an offering to Himself. God had no intention of allowing Abraham to do this - it was a test of his trust in God. When the time came and Isaac was on the alter, God said,

"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

The commentaries say the words, "Now I know," could be interpreted, "I have made known." Because God already knew what Abraham would do. 

 Saadiah Gaon (i) interprets it, "I have made known", that is, to others; God by trying Abraham made it manifest to others, to all the world, to all that should hear of or read this account of things, that he was a man that feared God, loved him, believed in him, and obeyed him, of which this instance is a full and convincing proof:

http://bible.cc/genesis/22-12.htm

Testing comes to all of us Christians. There are many writings on this in the Bible. Peter has this to say:

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:6-7

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That it is desirable that the faith of Christians should be tried:

(a) It is desirable to know whether that which appears to be religion is genuine, as it is desirable to know whether that which appears to be gold is genuine. To gold we apply the action of intense heat, that we may know whether it is what it appears to be; and as religion is of more value than gold, so it is more desirable that it should be subjected to the proper tests, that its nature may be ascertained. There is much which appears to be gold, which is of no value, as there is much which appears to be religion, which is of no value. The one is worth no more than the other, unless it is genuine.

(b) It is desirable in order to show its true value. It is of great importance to know what that which is claimed to be gold is worth for the purposes to which gold is usually applied; and so it is in regard to religion. Religion claims to be of more value to man than anything else. It asserts its power to do that for the intellect and the heart which nothing else can do; to impart consolation in the various trials of life which nothing else can impart; and to give a support which nothing else can on the bed of death. It is very desirable, therefore, that in these various situations it should show its power; that is, that its friends should be in these various conditions, in order that they may illustrate the true value of religion.

(c) It is desirable that true religion should be separated from all alloy. There is often much alloy in gold, and it is desirable that it should be separated from it, in order that it may be pure. So it is in religion. It is often combined with much that is unholy and impure; much that dims its lustre and mars its beauty; much that prevents its producing the effect which it would otherwise produce. Gold is, indeed, often better, for some purposes, for having some alloy mixed with it; but not so with religion. It is never better for having a little pride, or vanity, or selfishness, or meanness, or worldliness, or sensuality mingled with it; and that which will remove these things from our religion will be a favor to us.

II. God takes various methods of trying his people, with a design to test the value of their piety, and to separate it from all impure mixtures:

(1) He tries his people by prosperity - often as decisive a test of piety as can be applied to it. There is much pretended piety, which will bear adversity, but which will not bear prosperity. The piety of a man is decisively tested by popularity; by the flatteries of the world; by a sudden increase of property; and in such circumstances it is often conclusively shown that there is no true religion in the soul.

continued...http://bible.cc/1_peter/1-7.htm

For myself, I would say my faith was tested when my daughter Sandy gave birth. She suffered terribly for 27 hours, and as I watched her I thought of all the women through the ages who had died this way - giving birth, and it made me very angry at God. I failed this test of my faith. I was angry for years at the suffering God allowed to everyone. After awhile I told God I was tired of being angry at Him and wanted to come back and I read many books on suffering and why God allowed it.

Years later, my daughter Christine suffered terribly from a medical ailment. She almost died. By then I had learned to trust God. I gave her to Him and did not get angry about her suffering. I also felt no anger when my grandson died. This is what God will do for us and I am thankful to Him. If you have trouble in this area, ask God to help you to accept life as it is and not to struggle against it. Ask Him for strength to bear whatever it is that is hurting your heart and He will give it to you.