#264: God Allows Us To Be Tempted

The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

A single mother with five children, was on her way to the pawn shop, where she was hoping to get a loan of $60 for her TV set. Then something bizarre happened. As an armored truck filled with sacks of money drove past her, its rear door flew open, and a bag dropped out. The young mother stopped and picked up the sack. When she counted the cash, she found that it totaled $160,000.

A battle raged in her soul. That money would pay all her bills and provide for the needs of her children. But it wasn’t hers to keep.

After a fierce 4-hour struggle with her moral convictions, She called the police and turned in the money. Her sense of doing the right thing won a victory over the temptation to keep what wasn’t hers to keep.

When I read this story I thought what an interesting temptation. Imagine finding a bag with $160,000! But most of our temptations are not this large. They are small, they are often subtle, and they are frequent.

What is temptation? Temptation generally means a desire/urge to do or have something that we know we should not do or have.

Scripture teaches us we are tempted by the devil, but we also tempted by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

Today I was struck by the reality that God allows us to be tempted. James chapter one tells us that God himself tempts no one to sin, so we know the temptation doesn’t come from God.

But we do know from scripture that God allows us to be tempted. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” So, we see that God allows us to be tempted, but they are not beyond our ability to resist.

The obvious question here is why. Why would God allow us to be tempted. The answer is so that we can grow. God is interested in your spiritual growth. Spiritual maturity is his will for your life.

Listen to James 1:2-4… "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

God wants us to grow mature by learning how to make the right decisions, no matter what we face. Only when we are able to discern between right and wrong can we be able who God desires us to be.

In allowing us to be tempted, God has no desire for us to be trapped or to cause us to fall into sin. In fact, 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that with every temptation God provides a way of escape. Because of this truth, no one can say they are powerless in their temptation. God provides the escape path and the power to choose what is right.

Every time we refuse to yield to temptation we get stronger. When we refuse to yield to our temptations and instead choose to honor God we living in the freedom Jesus provides. Freedom is not doing what we want to do. Freedom is being able to say no to our impulses.

So we see that temptation allows us to prove our character, to reveal the depth and integrity of our faith in God. Like flexing the muscle in order to strengthen it, every temptation can be an opportunity to help us grow in our spiritual lives and enhance our spiritual health. In the process of struggling with temptation, we become more mature

Today’s Challenge: When you are tempted today, remember God provides a way of escape. Rely on God’s strength. Stand strong. Allow this temptation to be the proving ground for a stronger and more mature faith in Christ.