Temptation

Last Sunday at church, my pastor said, "Our ability to withstand temptation has more to do with our confidence in God than anything."

In this light, it is so much easier to understand why I'm tempted by the things I am. I can identify exactly what areas I'm lacking trust. It seems so much easier to address, manage, and fight those temptations knowing why Satan sees them as easy-to-attack weak spots.

He also shared these poignant tidbits...
Every time you are tempted, three things are at stake - your future, someone else's future, and the future of your faith.
Every time you sin, three things are compromised - your relationship with God, your connection with God, and your confidence in God.

I no longer have to pray for God's help in changing my behaviors. Instead I can focus my prayers on areas of my heart where I now know my trust needs a boost. "Please help my boyfriend and I stay physically pure" just changed to "God, I know that if we cross the line, even just once, my connection with You will experience a tear. Instead of just hoping that doesn't happen, I can place full trust in You. I am confident that with Your wisdom we can make healthy choices to stay out of compromising situations. I am confident that making these choices will strengthen our relationship and allow us to experience more of Your fruit, rather than make us feel like we're missing out on something."

I feel refreshed by this perspective change, and better equipped to handle the temptations the devil throws at me.