The Temptations

But it was just my imagination running away with me. It was just my imag...oh wait, wrong kind of temptations.

The ones that I'm talking about are the ones that are necessary. The ones not that we might face, but WILL face in this world. Jesus spoke on this, saying "woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!" (Matthew 18:7)

And in my experience sometimes they come hard and sometimes they come constantly. So why is it necessary they come? I have a completely correct answer.

I don't know.

I didn't say it was a helpful answer.

However I can tell you some positive sides of temptations in my life.

First, when any temptation is overcome -- and they all can be overcome -- it further strengthens me in my walk with the Lord. The downside and the flip side is that when I fall flat on my face and give it, I'm bummed about it and I don't feel right with God. But even that in itself is an indicator of the change in me -- before God saved me I didn't mourn over sin -- I reveled in it.

Second, and more the driving point of this post, is that temptations keep me in check. They keep me from getting a big head thinking I've made it and I'm so good and can float through this life doing what's right without God's help. Woe to us when we think such thoughts!

With the conflict inside reminiscent of Romans 7, I remember where I came from. And I am once again reminded that it is only by the grace of God that I have been saved and am not going to perish and face eternal punishment for rejecting his offer of salvation through Jesus Christ. In short, temptations help keep me humbled before Almighty God and serve to keep always in mind my dependence on him!

Thank you God for every victory and every reminder of who I am before you!

Grace and Peace