What does it mean to be tested? To be tempted?..
..We often find ourselves being lured by things.. Ever walked past a garden when your neighbours are having a BBQ and felt like you just wanted to follow the smell of tasty burgers?.. Or maybe your mum has just pulled out brownies from the oven.. you can already taste them in your mouth.. you follow the smell, just to have a look.. until you think if I eat just one it won't matter.. then one turns into one more..
But whether it be one bite or the whole tray of brownies, God will always know how many you ate. And in life, everyday, we face these temptations.. we get lured into things.. things that we know aren't what God wants us to do. Smelling these enticing flavours is just the start, it leads us to curiosity and desire, until we get closer and closer to the smell, and eventually our actions turn into sin. Its very easy to let ourselves get distracted by these desires, but by resisting them, we can start to resist sin and we become stronger in God.
When we are faced with the temptations of earthly desires, we are being tested, not tested by God.. but tested by the evil in our world. And most of the time these tests are more than sneaking a chocolate brownie out of the kitchen before your mum sees! These tests are hard! They can be frustrating, heartbreaking, upsetting.. and you can be crying out to God to get you through! Sometimes you even ask God, 'Why?!.. Why me?!..Why now?!'. But 'When tempted, no-one should say "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed' (James 1:13-14). You need to remember God isn't the one testing you, putting you through the misery, he is the one pleading for you to get through it.. to get through it and come out stronger and undefeated!
Its when you pull through tests that you understand the answer to your own question 'why?!'. 'Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.' ( James 1:2-3 ). These tests shape you into who you are today, God is always building you up to become stronger as a christian and closer in your relationship with him.
To face these trials he provides you with 'the armour of God'.. the 'Belt of truth', the Breastplate of Righteousness', the 'shoes fitted with readiness that comes with the gospel of peace', the 'shield of faith', the 'helmet of salvation' and the 'sword of the spirit' (Ephesians 6). You must 'be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.' (Ephesians 6:10-11). When you are tested with evil, put on God's armour and together get ready to fight!
Even if sometimes you give in to those evil desires and you sin, if you repent those sins truthfully from your heart.. God will always forgive you because, He loves you unconditionally. But this doesn't mean that we should always give in to temptations, for 'he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.' (1 Peter 4:2).
Remember God will never let you be tested past your limits.. he knows everything your going through because, he is there with you every step of the way!
James 1:12
'Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial'
1 Peter 4:12-13
'Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.'
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