God's Word is clear: We will face trials of faith. Some people panic when faced with a test or a trial, but how can we know if our faith is real unless it's been tested? It's easy to have faith when the cupboards are full, but how is your faith when things get tight? Do you still trust God to provide?

Faith is like a muscle—both grow by pushing against pressure. After muscle tissue breaks down, it's rebuilt stronger than before. Building faith works the same way. Pressure strengthens us. You'll never know if your faith is real unless it's been tested.

Abram, who was also known as the "father of faith" or the "father of them that believe" (see Romans 4:16), failed the first real test of his faith. He failed to believe the promises of God.

In Genesis 12, Abram and his wife Sarai went to Egypt because of a famine in the land of Canaan. But he was afraid the Egyptians would see how beautiful Sarai was, and they would kill him and take her. So he said, "Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you" (v. 13).

The man of faith, God's hero in the Old Testament, didn't have much faith here, did he? His plan was to protect himself by having his wife lie.

The plan seemed to work at first. Pharaoh took her into his house, and he gave Abram servants and livestock (see vv. 15-16). At that point Abram probably thought, "I'm getting away with this!"

But he wasn't. "But the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, 'What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?'" (vv. 17-18). What irony it was for an unbelieving Pharaoh to rebuke the man of faith.

The crucial truth is: We never sin alone. Sin always affects others, and it always has consequences far beyond you and your personal situation. When Achan stole, it caused Israel to be defeated in battle (see Joshua 7). When David numbered the people of Israel because of his own pride, 70,000 people died (see 2 Samuel 24). When Jonah went opposite of the direction where God had sent him, he endangered an entire ship (see Jonah 1).

If your doubt leads to disobedience, you become dangerous. God said that Abram was to be a blessing, but he became a curse to Pharaoh. He lost his testimony—but he did get back on track.

It's a powerful reminder that we're being watched—some more than others. All of us are being examined. We have a testimony, whether it be good or bad.

When a Christian is living a pure life that's above reproach, we wish they would be more vocal about sharing their faith. Others need to wear a warning label because they're not good examples. You almost want to tell them, "Don't tell anybody you're a Christian because it will spoil your testimony!"

Abram's testimony of faith was spoiled in that moment with Pharoah. But I'm encouraged that the Bible never flatters its heroes. The father of faith wasn't perfect. I, too, have failed God. I've failed in my testimony, but God keeps bringing me back—back to the altar, back to forgiveness, back to His grace.

God will always bring you back.