You’ve been deceived your whole life. Like Eve, lies took root and you fell from your original glory. So began humanity’s battle with its worst enemy: Ourselves.
We’re born with a propensity to live below our created identity~who God had in mind when He made us.
It’s usually the most subtle undercurrents of fear and pride that start the trouble. Be safe. Stay in control. Make them give you what you need. We rant and stay mad. Don’t forgive. Get even. We whine and stay sad. Eat another donut. Lie. Hate. Gossip. Take.
In James 1:15 we read, “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.”
So, the devil doesn’t make us do it. It’s not our spouse, our parent, our sibling, or our circumstances. It’s our desires. When we choose sin and shift blame, we choose to be victims. The person God created, our true self, dies a little more. At best, we settle for half-living—always sensing there’s something missing.
My friend, we are created for whole-living. Right here in the midst of the blessings and the burdens, God offers us abundance. A rich and satisfying life. But, our desires get in the way
We want power, comfort, approval. We want to be affirmed, loved, and happy. Needs are birthed into “sinful actions” when we expect people, status, or possessions to fulfill them.
People are imperfect, statuses change, possessions rust. Have you ever tried to explain your deepest struggles and realize no one really understands? Only our Creator really knows us and our needs. He alone can put back together the broken pieces of our original glory.
Like my first pastor, Brother Mike, told me: “When we decide to follow Christ, our ‘Want-Tos’ change.” We want peace. We want purpose. We want freedom from sin’s guilt and shame. We want good relationships with God and others. Temptation is easier to resist when we desire these things.
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” ~ 1 Corinthians 10:13
You’re not alone. God is trustworthy. There is a way out. Pray. You will hear it. Read Scripture. You will see it. Nip temptation and don’t allow it to grow. The world needs the real you, the one God created.
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