1 Corinthians 10:13 New King James Version (NKJV)
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
I’ve pursued a healthier lifestyle over the last four or five years. And, try as I might, it never fails that I tip over and fall off the wagon because of my appetites, undisciplined thinking, and overindulging my preferences. If I am honest, I would tell you I don’t need another diet or a lifestyle plan – though these things are not bad in themselves. Choosing a lifestyle change only becomes a step in the right direction when I address what I believe and how it affects my choices and my behavior around health, nutrition, and exercise… Without addressing my beliefs, I’ll end up in a pattern of defeat, trying by my will to master my thoughts, my appetites, and my choices rather than choosing to surrender them to the Lord and follow His lead.
Temptations will come and go, but I cannot resist them in my flesh. My soul, in and of itself, is weak and given to passions, appetites, and desires that will lead my heart far from God. The enemy knows my tells. He and his army of fallen angels and demonic spirits are students of my habits; they know the snares that will shift my focus away from God. Yet, the scriptures assure us that no temptation has seized us – and what we struggle with is standard. God has given us a way to bear up under it.
If the enemy cannot keep you from following Christ, he will undoubtedly try to distract you from God’s purpose in your life or steal your witness with temptations to sin.
You may think that’s great for you, and you may realize what your temptations are, but you may also wonder how all this applies to you. Maybe undisciplined eating and food choices aren’t a snare for you – truthfully, it could be any area of sin that traps you – some are just more readily seen than others.
But God… He makes a way where there seems to be no way. At the cross, Jesus suffered and died so we might live from His victory rather than just trying to muddle our way through life until He calls us home.
The Way of Escape
We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. But God will be faithful to you. He will screen and filter the severity, nature, and timing of every test or trial you face so that you can bear it. And each test is an opportunity to trust him more, for along with every trial God has provided for you a way of escape that will bring you out of it victoriously. (1 Corinthians 10:13 TPT)
He made a way of escape for us – God is faithful to deliver us in temptations and testing seasons – giving us a way to stand up under it as He provides a way of escape. The question on the table remains – will we enter in?
