Temptations are all around us. They form a minefield of sinful opportunities waiting to blow our lives apart at every step. Sometimes, we can feel trapped and all alone in our temptations. But Paul gives us some good news about temptation today…
“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)
Let’s look at a few of the most common temptations we all face:
Are you tempted to turn what is good into a god? That’s the basic idea behind idolatry. We take a blessing that God has given us, and we elevate it to a place of worship. Some of the common idols we worship are security and success, health and happiness, or our kids and careers. One of the great indicators that we’ve turned something good into a god is when we start looking to that thing for ultimate fulfillment.
Are you tempted to grumble instead of being grateful? This was Israel’s Achilles heel in the wilderness. God rescued them from slavery in Egypt. He provided manna from heaven and water from the rock. He gave them a promised land they didn’t have to work for, just walk into by faith. But at every turn, they seemed to find something to complain about. I’m sure they justified it as “venting” and expressing their feelings. But God saw it as grumbling, not gratitude.
Are you tempted to lust instead of trust? Lust was another common temptation that Israel faced. They lusted after meat, sexual immorality, and the comforts and convenience of Egypt. We lust after the exact same things in our culture: food, sexual immorality, and the comfort and convenience of a materialistic society. It is tempting to look to those things for soul-fulfillment instead of trusting God to fill us with His Spirit.
Are you tempted to focus on yourself over others? This is perhaps the most common temptation of all. We have a deep tendency to make life about ourselves. We get so consumed with our needs, desires, struggles, and challenges that we completely forget to think about others. Yet the whole goal of life is to love God first and to love others as ourselves. Have you gotten so focused on yourself that you’ve stopped thinking about how to love God and others?
The good news is that God won’t let us be tempted beyond our ability to endure. In fact, He will always give us a way out of every temptation— it’s called prayer. Jesus taught us to pray, “Father… lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” You know the temptations that are common in your life. Have you been praying about them, asking God for help?
When we turn to Him, God will be faithful to help us. He is just a prayer away.
“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)
Let’s look at a few of the most common temptations we all face:
Are you tempted to turn what is good into a god? That’s the basic idea behind idolatry. We take a blessing that God has given us, and we elevate it to a place of worship. Some of the common idols we worship are security and success, health and happiness, or our kids and careers. One of the great indicators that we’ve turned something good into a god is when we start looking to that thing for ultimate fulfillment.
Are you tempted to grumble instead of being grateful? This was Israel’s Achilles heel in the wilderness. God rescued them from slavery in Egypt. He provided manna from heaven and water from the rock. He gave them a promised land they didn’t have to work for, just walk into by faith. But at every turn, they seemed to find something to complain about. I’m sure they justified it as “venting” and expressing their feelings. But God saw it as grumbling, not gratitude.
Are you tempted to lust instead of trust? Lust was another common temptation that Israel faced. They lusted after meat, sexual immorality, and the comforts and convenience of Egypt. We lust after the exact same things in our culture: food, sexual immorality, and the comfort and convenience of a materialistic society. It is tempting to look to those things for soul-fulfillment instead of trusting God to fill us with His Spirit.
Are you tempted to focus on yourself over others? This is perhaps the most common temptation of all. We have a deep tendency to make life about ourselves. We get so consumed with our needs, desires, struggles, and challenges that we completely forget to think about others. Yet the whole goal of life is to love God first and to love others as ourselves. Have you gotten so focused on yourself that you’ve stopped thinking about how to love God and others?
The good news is that God won’t let us be tempted beyond our ability to endure. In fact, He will always give us a way out of every temptation— it’s called prayer. Jesus taught us to pray, “Father… lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” You know the temptations that are common in your life. Have you been praying about them, asking God for help?
When we turn to Him, God will be faithful to help us. He is just a prayer away.