I once saw a picture of a monkey sitting against a tree that stood on the edge of a cliff. Above the monkeys head was a branch and hanging on the end of that branch was a big bunch of beautiful ripe bananas. The problem: The bananas hung over the edge of the cliff. The monkey was being tempted by the bananas but if he actually tried to grab them he’d fall off the cliff and die.
I know that we have all been in a similar position at some point in our lives. Whether we kept our wits and stayed on the mountain or whether we took a chance at grabbing those bananas, temptations will continue to come.
The definition of temptation is this
something that causes a strong urge or desire to have or do something and especially something that is bad, wrong, or unwise.
The struggle is real
There are so many things that we could be tempted by in this world. Our friends could tempt us to do things we know we shouldn’t. This is especially prevalent in school or college where peer pressure is a serious struggle for many children or young adults alike. We could be tempted by our own mind – with the way sex is portrayed in this generation, anyone struggling with issues of pornography are bombarded with sexual images everywhere and those triggers can be a real source of temptation. Same with alcohol and drugs. We could also be tempted to commit a crime – maybe robbery – when our financial struggles seem to be mounting. We could be tempted by promises of fortune and fame. The list is endless.
The problem I have seen with people, and this included myself until I knew better, is that people never like to take responsibility for their bad choices but will always put the blame on anything else. I have even heard people say: “Why is God tempting me like this?” If they are not blaming God then they will have a myriad of other excuses as to why they fell prey to their temptations.
But check this out:
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. James 1:13-15
God knows
One thing we can be grateful for is the fact that we have a wonderful counselor who has himself been tempted and who has overcome temptation. When we are weak, his strength is made perfect in our weakness and when we feel alone in our struggles we can know that he himself has been through the same. Jesus was tempted by Satan but unlike Eve or King David, he overcame his tempter and Jesus can help you overcome your temptations as well.
For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18
Remember, temptation comes from Satan and in James chapter 4 and verse 7 we are told
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
To anyone struggling with daily temptations, I know it’s easier to just give in and allow the darkness to win. I know! It feels good to sin, but the cost is much more than that moment of pleasure is worth and there is no pleasure in being weighed down by the debt that you will accrue.
If you want to find real strength in your times of weakness and temptation, I urge you to click on the link below or on the pop-up. We would love to help you on this epic journey.
Your life will never be the same again!