In cartoons and movies, temptation arrives in
obvious forms: a small, persuasive red devil on one’s shoulder or a sexy
soundtrack that cues the viewer into the seduction that’s about to play out on
screen.
Temptation often preys upon areas of our life in which we are not
satisfied. It feeds upon our tendency toward discontentment. When we feel
restless or frustrated or like part of our life is lacking in some way, that
dissatisfaction can serve as a wide open door for an appealing temptation to
walk right in and even be welcomed by us rather than battled.
So how can we battle those subtle temptations? Along with weapons like prayer, accountability, and Scripture, we can
fight them by subtle, less obvious means.
• Cultivate contentment. “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel
it,” wrote Pastor Robert Robinson in his famous hymn. We each have a wanderlust of the heart that—when
dissatisfied or bored—seeks excitement, newness, or whatever seems like it
might finally satisfy. Instead, even when situations or relationships are
dissatisfying in our lives, we can strengthen our ability to resist inevitable
temptation by learning to be content in whatever circumstances we face.
• Trust in the dark. We’re also easy prey for temptation
when life is confusing or discouraging. Some situations require more than
contentment; when we’re at the end of our rope or when nothing seems to make
sense, Scripture invites us to trust. And it is in those moments when
we realize how difficult—and how essential—trust truly is. It demands so much
of us as we chose to eschew our own understanding and thrust our whole heart and all our hopes into God’s hands.
• Lean on the Spirit. As we grow in intimacy with God,
the Holy Spirit produces in us a fruit that fortifies us against the onslaught of temptation:
faithfulness. We cannot fight temptation with sheer willpower. Yes, it takes
our own determination, but it also takes the work of the Spirit in our lives.
As we cling to God and know him more and more, his goodness is indeed “like a
fetter” that binds our wandering hearts to him. It is God who transform us from flighty, self-determined people into
faithful, committed people who refuse to give up or give in.
Where are you tempted today? For many believers—especially those in
unsatisfying marriages—adultery is a very real temptation. In The New Face of Infidelity,” Corrie Cutrer
unpacks the desires that drive affairs and highlights critical ways to battle
the temptation to cheat. But if you aren’t currently tempted by adultery,
you’re not off the hook (and neither am I)! In, "Our 'Holy' Sing” Carolyn Arends provides
rich and convicting insight into the “acceptable sins” we often fall for and
even justify within the Christian community.
Scripture reminds us that even as we face temptation, “God is faithful”
(1 Corinthians 10:13). Our faithful and gracious God will
always provide us with both a means of escape and endurance to resist.
Grace,
When Temptation Sneaks up on You 3 keys to resisting its pull by Kelli B. Trujillo
Reviewed by Awareness
on
Saturday, August 27, 2016
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