Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution? Maybe it’s been that you are not going to eat chocolate for the year, only to be tempted by a well-meaning friend who has brought you a coffee and chocolate biscuit. You say to yourself, ‘I really shouldn’t, but I guess one won’t hurt.’
The Bible gives an account of when Jesus faced significant temptation. In the gospels (Matthew 4 and Luke 4) we read that the devil came to tempt Jesus while he was in the wilderness. Three tims he was tempted and three times Jesus resisted by quoting God’s Word. Jesus overcame temptation and maintained His integrity.
Jesus knew that giving in to the temptation, as enticing as it was, would have devastating results. We too face temptation on a daily basis. We live in a world where we can access almost any desire but these temptations also have a cost. For example, if you had an affair there is a high possibility that you will lose your marriage, your children will be affected and your soul damaged.
There are so many things in life that can tempt us, I guess temptation in itself isn’t necessarily wrong but there is always a consequence. I firmly believe that God has given each of us the ability to know right from wrong. I’ve often experienced a knowing or a stirring on the inside when temptation strikes and it pays to listen to that voice. The voice that lines up with the word of God.
Whether it’s a chocolate biscuit or something more substantial, listen to that stirring inside of you.