Since the heart is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9) and people are prone to self-deception (Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 15:8; 2 Timothy 3:13), God allows trials and suffering in the lives of Christians to prove the genuineness of their faith (Deuteronomy 8:2-5, 13:1-4; 2 Chronicles 32:31; James 1:22; 1 John 2:11