ABLE TO ENDURE

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

-1 Corinthians 10:12-13

Oh how I wish I had read this scripture this morning! You see, this morning I stopped into one of the local health food stores to pick up a few essentials for the week. My intention when entering the store was just to pick up those much needed items as quickly as possible and get on with the rest of my day. In a matter of 2-3 minutes I had entered the store and had everything I came for in my basket. Then, as I headed down the snack isle toward the check-out, it happened…the cookies were calling to me! As I contemplated buying a package of cookies, I heard the Holy Spirit reminding me that I really should not be buying them as I would most definitely be sick from it, as I have on many occasions gotten ill from just one cookie in the past. But I did not listen and instead I tuned the Holy Spirit out, I didn’t want to hear what He was telling me right now…I wanted cookies! Long story short, not only did I leave the store with that package of cookies, but I finished 2/3 of that package of cookies while driving home from the store and the other 1/3 as soon as I got in the door! Oh, what shame I felt, not to mention the digestive issues I was having. The funny thing is, I honesty thought I was over this struggle in my life, I thought I had moved on and now stood on solid ground…nothing to worry about anymore. Obviously, I was wrong. I was caught off guard by temptation and I chose not to take the way of escape provided; when I was weak, I did not turn to the Lord but instead turned from Him and ultimately failed, being unable to bear it and endure on my own.

It is so easy to be deceived into believing that we are strong in our flesh; that we are standing on solid ground. But if we are not paying attention, we can easily be overcome by temptation and fall. I am sure many of you are saying, “It was only cookies; it’s not like it was illegal drugs or something.” This is exactly the lie my flesh tried to tell me so that I would not see my sin. The reality is I gave in to temptation; I gave in to the desires of my flesh and chose those desires over the Lord. God wants what is best for us and He also knows that we are going to be tempted in our life. But, He promises that the temptations we face will not be any different than those experienced by others and while we will be tempted, God is faithful and He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to handle as He will provide the way of escape so that we may endure. As I write this, I am reminded of Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

We are weak in the flesh and when temptation strikes, and it will strike, we will most definitely fall if we are not prepared. Yet, we can bear it and endure if we look to the Lord for strength. So I encourage you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, not to become complacent, but to keep watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.

COACH'S CALL TO ACTION

• What are the “cookies” in your life, the temptations you often face?
  
• When do you find you are least resistant to temptation?
  
• How will you keep watch and be prepared when temptation strikes again?

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