It's a well known verse: "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 stand up under it." (1 Cor 10:13). But I'm amazed at how often it is misapplied. This verse is talking about how He helps us handle the temptations that come at us, not at the events that cause the temptations.
The events that happen in this life are many: financial ups and downs, deaths, betrayals, physical disasters, and on and on and on. The temptations are also frequent. A temptation is that thought we have that makes us want to to abandon our reliance on God - it is when we are being lured away from God. Everyone has those thoughts - they are common to man. The question is what do we do with them when they come? Do we allow them to draw us away from God?
When we are faced with difficult events, we are tempted to respond as most people do - with anger, fear, or even a sense that God has abandoned us or even that God is testing us or trying to teach us something and until we can learn it the bad things will continue to happen.
God's 'way out' is not to stop the events that are behind the temptations. He doesn't always make the bad stuff go away. His 'way out' is that He is there and will walk with us through the events. It isn't about the events at all. It's about our response to everything that comes our way. It is our continued reliance on God.
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Events arise in life which can bring the ups and downs, they can also make us stronger and God gives us the strenth in those times. With temptations we have a choice-similar to events. We can be lured away from our reliance on God. Peer pressure is common among our youth of today and one can easily be lured away from God due to the choice that is made. The same is with adults, if we feel abondoned by man, we also may feel abondoned by God. If we keep our hope and trust in Him, use the strength He has given us and continues to give us-we can't go wrong. It lies in choice. I choose to drawn closer to God and fully rely on Him for I know He will bring me through. If I choose to walk away from God, the temtations will only bring me down and weaken or even loose my hope in God. As Christians I would hope we would paddle harder when we are going upstream in order to follow God and completly rely on Him at all times. Often times those temtations come up more than once. God does have a way of getting our attention! If we are listening to His voice and keeping Him as priority in life, we will make good choices and the temtations won't drag us down or away but draw us nearer to Him. He won't let us down. He loves us that much.
How very true, J! Well said.
Good word and perspective. I am always looking for different and enlightening definitions for grace and this is one. It is my opinion that the greatest example of grace is God walking along side us during these times of temptation helping us and the price He paid to do so. Truly He is our Emmanuel.
Thanks for sharing
Revnyc.
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