The desire just kept returning. Each thought made it seem sweeter. I wanted it. NO, I needed it. YES, I was going to … Then, I reminded myself that the desire was an expression of my longing for comfort in a time of stress, so I thanked God for His provision, spent some time meditating on His goodness, and the temptation faded as I moved on to other things. It will be back. Temptation always is!
We’re all tempted. Temptation shows up in dozens of ways. Seemingly out of nowhere thoughts like these show up. “Give in to rage, it feels so good to vent!” “Eat too much food, it makes the inner ache disappear for a while.” “Go buy something and feel great for a time.” Look at pornography online; gossip about that person at work; fantasize about a sexual conquest; be lazy, avoiding responsibility.
It’s no sin to feel tempted! It’s part of our human nature which is subject to failure. Understanding why we experience these urges helps us to meet and defeat them. We like to think that temptation comes from external sources, that if we wall ourselves off from ‘the world’ we will avoid them. But to believe that is to leave their real approach route wide open so they can march straight into our lives. The truth is that temptations are a response to some unmet need within us, some place of disappointment or unfulfilled desire. They cross lines. Physical fatigue, our bodies crying for rest, may produce temptation of a sexual nature, for example. The Bible is clear about how temptation develops. ”Remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters." (James 1:13-16, NLT)
If we want to overcome temptation, we must understand ourselves and our impulses. Prayer is a great revealer. If we will be authentic before the Lord, praying honestly about what we desire, even those things that we keep carefully hidden from others, the Spirit will help us to understand the root of the temptation. He will, if we are full of the Scripture, wed the Truth of the Word with our need, which allows us to dispatch the longing. Jesus did it! When He was desperately tired, hungry, and alone in the time of testing prior to His public ministry, the devil showed up with temptations. He met each one with Truth and overcame. The key is being honest with God and ourselves. Soul rot grows like slime when we refuse to let the Light shine in!
Feeling tempted today? You’re not particularly evil. You’re just human. Here’s a word from the Word. Believe it and take your victory over ‘the world, the flesh, and the Devil.’
"No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it. " (1 Corinthians 10:13, The Message)
_________
Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His Name?
And when the battle’s over
We shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown!
And when the battle’s over
We shall wear a crown
In the new Jerusalem
Wear a crown (wear a crown)
Wear a crown (wear a crown)
Wear a bright and shining crown;
And when the battle’s over
We shall wear a crown
In the new Jerusalem.
- Isaac Watts, public domain
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