A Stumbler's Walk | TEMPTED

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil.

- Matthew 4:1

Tempted... 
It can be a playful word. "The salted caramel pizookie tempted me into sin..." (if you've not had one, well - I don't want to be accused of being a tempter.)

Tempted can be an ugly word - one that leads into things much more sinister and damaging than the mixture of hot-salty and cold-creamy.

The blunt ugly truth is this: every day we breathe we will be tempted.

The grace-filled truth is this: temptation is not condemnation. To be tempted (from without, or within) is not the equivalent of sin and failure.

Jesus was tempted. His glowing halo didn't ward it off.  He was not above temptation. He was tempted more intensely than anyone before or since.

Yet he overcame.

We have a promise when it comes to temptation:

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.  

- 1 Corinthians 10:13

However, the real message of this post is not about overcoming. It is instead to make the simple point that when we are tempted we are: a) Human, and b) In good company. We tend to equate temptation as failure or a lack of spiritual vitality. This is not so. 

We would rather skip the temptation altogether. We think it would be better... best. Apparently God does not. Temptation is part of life and we have no choice - we will be tempted. We do have a choice in how we handle temptation (i.e. what we do next...). 

So rest in the fact that if we are tempted, we are alive. And it is possible that when we are tempted, we are - and have the chance to be - most like Jesus. 

There is another side to temptation... one which we do not see. In it lies opportunity. But mostly, therein lies the comfort of knowing we are not alone.

God, "Lead me not into temptation..." but when I'm there, comfort and strengthen me.

For now,
D