We strive and strive through tests to get close to Allah. There are levels and not everyone is on the same one when it comes to their relationship with Allah.
Allah will test us at every level. The higher your level is, the harder the tests become. Allah tests us with what we love most. Patience comes at the beginning of a test not the end.
In a hadith it is said that those who Allah wants goodness for, He will test them. To shake us up! To see where our hearts are going, to see what is really in our hearts. If we are believers we need to show it.