A Way Out?
1Corinthians 10:13
"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."
I grew up knowing this scripture, "God will not give you more than you can handle/bear," but as I read this scripture this time the words "way out" caught my attention, actually it stopped me. It is clear that we will be tempted, but God also provides a way out. What does that really mean?
What will that "way out" look like? Will I see it? Will I know what it is? I think this brings up so many questions. I know that God is faithful, he will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear, but that being said, then why do we still fall into the temptations, is it because of free will? Maybe it's a lack of my understanding.
I think back of the many times I am tempted. For some it is pornography, drugs, alcohol, etc. For me, it's food that I can relate to when we talk about temptations. When I see something I really like, not because I am hungry but because it's good, I am tempted to eat it. If I don't first think about it, I will have it in my hand and right into my mouth.
Maybe that's it, I have to think about it, there is a thought, a voice if you will, that tells us to stop, wait a minute, some things not correct here. Is this what we really want to do?
It makes me think of the cartoons we so often see, the "devil" on one shoulder and the "angle" on the other. One telling you, "come on, it's ok, you can do it, you aren't going to hurt anything." The other is saying " no, stop, you know this isn't right." It's in those moments that the words "way out" come to mind.
There is always the moment right before you act that you can walk away. It's learning when that moment is. It's learning to listen.
Created about 3 years ago
