Tempted to Trust

The tease and torment of temptation afflicts us all. There is no one who can escape being tempted. Temptation comes in many forms and even in varying degrees. Some temptations can easily be ignored or sent packing while others cause us to lose sleep. And, while God does not tempt any of us (James 1:13), He does allow us to be tempted. Many times, I have wanted God to swoop down and take the temptation away from me, and yet it persisted. Why? Because it was shaping and strengthening my faith. When we are tempted, it is important to remember 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” As Christians, we need to see the inevitable temptation as an opportunity to trust God deeper and depend on Him more. Someone once suggested that when we are tempted, we need to immediately stop thinking about the object or desire of our temptation and replace that thought with thoughts of God’s goodness, holiness, love and protection. Temptations are all around us. Most lie and clothe themselves as socially acceptable and pleasurable. We need to remind ourselves that anything that temps us away from how God has commanded us to live, leads to ruin. God’s way leads to live, joy, peace and eternal salvation. Don’t trade any of that for a few moments of earthly pleasure. (Written by Keegan Harkins.)