No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
I Corinthians 10: 13
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On our recent road trip, my daughter and I traveled pot-holey roads, drove through heavy fog and pouring down rain, wove through heavy city traffic, saw a traffic tie-up for miles and miles due to an accident, wound about mountain roads, deep woods, and mountains so high we had to drive thorough tunnels. We enjoyed a great trip, because we had each other to appreciate in spite of what could have made the journey miserable.
In order to avoid outrageous turnpike tolls, we put our destination into the GPS, and we were taken on a fascinating route of travel: little towns, gorgeous farm lands, miles and miles without a good restaurant, and more driving rain and fog.
I was reminded how our spiritual journey can be—often is—beset by trials and temptations. When we rely on the Holy Spirit’s direction—the spiritual GPS—the way will definitely be an interesting route of travel through life. That does not mean there will not be temptations along the way.
On our trip we ran into some temptations of the mundane variety: “Hey, today is Tuesday. Today’s Roots Auction!” (Lancaster County, PA!). Yes, we stopped and got homemade cookies, shoofly pie, and a couple of other items. We were tempted to indulge in more, but we listened to the restraints God put in us. God gave us rain, rain, and more rain to restrain us from stopping at antique malls along the way.
What about the real temptations in our walk alongside the Lord? We pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Lead us not into temptation …” Matthew 6: 13 Does God deliberately lead us to the point where we have to make a decision to sin or not to sin? No. The scripture above gives a good explanation: our temptations are common to all of us. Why? Because we live in a fallen world. Temptation is not a sin; the sin is in yielding to the desire.
When I pray the Lord’s Prayer, I visualize the phrase, “Lead us not into temptation,” as an obstacle along a road. The obstruction may be a mountain. Yes, we will come to that obstacle, but God shows us the way around, over, or through it. To go through is like going through a tunnel to get to the other side. Our mountain of temptation may be an ungodly passion, greediness, or perhaps, a power grab, a matter of reacting instead of acting, a grudge, jealousy, pride, or any number of temptations. When we accept the escape route God has provided for us, the path may even lead us through a dark “tunnel” of uncertainty and fear. Once on the other side of bearing the temptation we find a fruitful vineyard of God’s love, peace of mind, joy of being in fellowship with Him, and much more. We walk in His presence and can have “fullness of joy.” Psalm 16: 11
God will never place an obstacle—a temptation in our pathway—where He doesn’t give an escape route. He may allow a temptation that, if we indulge, our yielding will harm us. I’ve heard folks say, “God won’t give us something we can’t handle.” That is not true. God won’t give us something He can’t handle—can’t help us over, around, or through the temptation.
While going through the trial, if we practice His presence, we are “able to bear it.” For my daughter and me to not be bogged down by the obstacles in our travel, we had each other’s company to enjoy—despite the rain, fog, traffic, or places to stop. Whether your temptation is a pothole, mountain, dense fog, or an indulgence, God can and will lead you over, around, or through the worst of temptations. Trust Him.
Challenge: Memorize the verse at the top of the page: 1 Corinthians 10: 13; pray that as temptation and testing come into your pathway, you will walk with God, in step with Him, and in the same direction.
