Temptations come in all different shapes and sizes. It may be eating another slice of cake or doing something with someone that is unwise. There are these urges or intense emotions that prompt us to satisfy those desires. At the moment, we may feel powerless and think that we need to act on those urges. Afterward, we may realize that we didn’t need to do it, after all. We just wanted to. Many may end up experiencing shame, embarrassment, and guilt. Those emotions are never easy to handle. We don’t want to feel them. So that means we need to get a better handle on the temptations. I think there are false ideas and myths that we have about temptations. It’s essential to have a better and more appropriate way of understanding temptations. I read Purpose Driven Life and Rick Warren gives some great ways to think about our temptations.
Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.
I thought temptations were an opportunity to do wrong. The point of a temptation is to do something wrong or unwise. It’s to do something we should not do. While that is true, it is a matter of perspective. For instance, Satan tempts us to do the wrong thing. Satan wants to lure us to do something negative and evil. His goal and hope are for us to fail and fall.
God, on the other hand, wants us to succeed. God does not tempt us (James 1:13). He allows the temptations to happen from Satan (Acts 5) or our desires (James 1:13). God hopes that we will overcome and do the right thing. God believes in us and sees that we can do the right thing. We have the opportunity to do the better thing when we go through temptations. Temptations are the vehicle for spiritual growth and maturity. That’s how we grow and mature as Christians. We can’t display the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control) from Galatians 5:22-23 without temptations. They give us the ability to practice these godly character traits. Martin Luther shares that “my temptations have been my masters in divinity.” We all need a master’s in character. Temptations are the opportunity for that.
So next time we are going through a temptation, see it as an opportunity to be more like Christ.
There is always a way out.
In the moment of temptation, many believe a lie that we can’t get out of that temptation. We may feel that we have to do it. It’s like something is controlling us. That’s a lie. God says differently in 1 Corinthians 10:13.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. 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 endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13
There is so much to unpack in this verse. First, our temptations aren’t unique or special to us. God uniquely and beautifully creates every person (Psalm 139), but the temptations that every person deals with are not. They are the same temptations that every person dealt with, starting from Adam and Eve. Jesus experienced those same temptations. He just never gave into them. He never acted on them.
Secondly, God gives us the ability to overcome them. There is a way out always. The lie is that we are stuck and can’t overcome them. However, God’s truth says that there is a way out. It starts with our mind. Our minds are the key to dealing with temptation. Whatever our minds focus on is what = will lead to our temptations. If we start to get tempted, then we need to shift our minds or thoughts. There is some negative thoughts or belief that is causing us to think about that. Shift away from that and focus on something else. We can’t resist the temptation; we need to replace it with something else. Start with God’s word or His promises. God’s truth in the Bible overcomes any temptations.
Share the temptation
The biggest secrets in our life have to do with our temptations and addictions. It’s the things that we are most embarrassed about. We don’t want any person to know about it, so we cover it up or make excuses. The best thing we can do is to share it with our trusted friends and believers. Its when we bring it to the light that we can release the power and control on us.
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Proverbs 28:13
We find healing, mercy, and hope when we share it. When we don’t share our struggles, then we will not prosper. Success comes from bringing those things into the light. Temptations do not want to be in the light because the light scares the temptations. They want to be in the dark. It is scary to bring those secrets into the light. However, when we do, it is the most powerful feeling. It’s the feeling of acceptance and love. We understand that God loves us and forgives us. God asks us to confess our sins with each other to receive the healing and forgiveness that God us spiritually. We can feel it from our brothers and sisters because God does forgive us.
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