What tempts you? When I think of the word “temptation”, ice cream comes to mind, as I can think of places where I’ve lived or visited that had an ice cream store or brand with the word temptation in it. In a Google search on temptation ice cream, over 2.2 million results were returned. That’s a lot of temptation!
One thing I’m tempted by is snacks late at night. I sneak them, and I’m pretty good at hiding my habit. Unfortunately, I became too good at this habit and realized something needed to change. Tactics that have led to success include confessing to my wife that I love to sneak treats so that she can be on the lookout, and maybe more importantly, I commit or “pre-decide” in advance to staying away from the treats.
It is the same thing with pre-deciding for everything else, whether doing the things we should do or fleeing from the things we should not do.
On my heart while writing this post were some of the lyrics from the song “Do it Again” by Elevation Worship:
I’ve seen You move, come move the mountains
And I believe, I’ll see You do it again
You made a way, where there was no way
And I believe, I’ll see You do it again
Praise God for this promise and the countless times he’s given us a way out:
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT)
So when temptation comes—and it will—remember that you’re not alone. Jesus was tempted, yet he never sinned, but fear not, his grace runs deep. Whether it’s late-night snacks or something deeper, God is faithful in the midst of it all. Pre-decide your response, lean into His strength, and trust that He will make a way. You’ve seen Him move before. You’ll see Him do it again.