Temptation
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
I Corinthians 10:13
Temptation, what a scary word. As a Christian I know temptation that is given into produces sin. Some with more serious consequences then others but make no mistake, sin is sin. The same blood of Jesus Christ was shed for both the serious sins and the "little ones". (In the spectrum of things, no sin is little. Take a look at it from heaven's view and you'll see that's true.)
In this journey I take in my walk with Christ I see the Lord healing me of hurts, lighting my path and ultimately setting me apart for His purposes. In this process of being set apart sometimes I see how far I've come and think I'm strong. I'm doing well. That can be a dangerous way of thinking. Yes, I have come a long way but only by clinging to the Lord for strength and direction. Without Him I'm nothing. King David, a man after God's heart, fell into sin with Bathsheba. This is a good reminder that God's people can fall. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall. I Corinthians 10:12
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23
I've been down a series of humbling circumstances where the Lord has shone His light in my heart and revealed a couple of very ugly spots. Dark spots. I didn't even realize these things were there to this degree. It's like picking an apple and seeing a soft spot but when you cut it open you find the apple is rotten. Thankfully God can make us whole again.
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. I Cor. 10:13 In this last struggle this verse kept going through my mind and became a comfort to me. For some reason I thought to be tempted was wrong but that's not true because Jesus was tempted and He lead a sinless life.
Next I'm comforted to know that my temptation is common. I'm not the only person on the planet feeling the way I do. Funny how we often think that but it's rarely true. There are about as many temptations as there are people. The temptation of food, vanity, gossiping, sexual immorality, drugs, coveting and being envious of what others have and do, greed, stealing, cheating, lying.
Last thing I noticed about this verse is the word seized. Webster's dictionary defines seize as to affect suddenly; overwhelm. Oh boy, isn't that the truth! This particular temptation I've struggled with often comes out of the blue. Wham!!! Things start running through my head … Where did that come from? Now I've done bible studies on watching what you think and watching what you say. I try to keep a good filter on both my mind and my mouth but this one thing…has been a thorn in my side. So I dove in and started studying about temptation. The bible actually has quiet a bit to say about it and it's not all doom and despair. Actually, because of Jesus we have victory. That doesn't mean the path is easy. You must fight the good fight but that's one thing Paul refers to in sharing in Christ's sufferings. This week I've certainly learned the lesson that when someone so in love with Jesus comes across temptation, AGAIN- for the 42nd time (or something like that) a fierce battle is fought in your mind and it truly is suffering. I would've thought this statement was weird if I hadn't experienced it for myself. I get so tired of fighting that I just want to get rid of the part of the part of my brain that thinks these things. I now understand when Jesus said, "If your hand causes you to sin cut it off. It is better to enter life maimed then with two hands to go into hell." Mark 9:43
I'm excited to share with you what I've learned. More on this tomorrow.
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