I was doing my morning ritual. Brushing my teeth and then using my special 12 hour mouthwash, that’s 12 hours against bad breath. I spray on my perfume. For some reason, I imagined a spray to ward off temptation, also lasting 12 hours. Prayer is the activator, needed morning and night. “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41.)
It’s funny how when I am exposed to temptation, I find it, er…tempting. Sometimes, it seems I’m surrounded by a storm and I can’t see straight to find my way out. Everything seems confusing and I have a hard time making up my mind.
The way I view temptation is this: I'm safe and warm in my house with my family. The devil through temptation wants to tempt or lure us away from our safety. The devil will try to get us to start by looking out the window and be curious about evil. If the devil can get us to open the door a crack, he has got us.
The way I view temptation is this: I'm safe and warm in my house with my family. The devil through temptation wants to tempt or lure us away from our safety. The devil will try to get us to start by looking out the window and be curious about evil. If the devil can get us to open the door a crack, he has got us.
As you may have guessed, I was exposed to temptation recently. It took me by surprise. I didn’t know what to do and I thought I could solve it myself (stupid thought). Avoidance of evil is always best. But I’ve heard this promise before which always gives me hope: “There hath no temptation taketh you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13.)
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Usually when I am faced with temptation, I listen to the song, “Slow Fade” by Casting Crowns. It sounds a lot like “See no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil” and I imagine monkeys acting it out. The song goes like this: “Be careful little eyes what you see - It’s the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings…It’s a slow fade when you give yourself away – It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray – Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be made – When you give yourself away – People never crumble in a day - It’s a slow fade…Be careful if you think you stand – You just might be sinking.” Listening to this song usually snaps me out of it. But I was beyond that this time.
The first night of my temptation, I opened in my scriptures and I read verses about the devil wanting my soul. Very comforting-not really. The second night, I opened in my scriptures about God always delivering His people. I felt very comforted and that things would work out. I just wasn’t sure how. I also didn’t know how I could endure this temptation much longer.
The third night of my temptation, I was talking with a trusted girlfriend about this issue. She offered sage advice: “You know what to do, you just have to do it.” While talking, I was building up strength to face and defeat temptation. Immediately after I got off the phone, I found out my temptation had been taken away from me. God knew it was too great for me. God knew I wanted to do what was right. So He took it away from me. Sometimes we’re strengthened and sometimes our obstacle is removed. I felt such peace in comparison to my imprisonment. I praised God that day for delivering me, just like I had read in the scriptures. The Lord's Prayer says "Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil." Temptation could lurk around any corner. To be safe, always pray and put on your temptation spray before going out.
