The Reality of Temptation

Today, a friend and I were talking. At one point, she said, "Well, God gave us the ability to do that, so he must want us to follow through." 

I didn't agree (I won't go into the topic here). But, at that moment, I couldn't put my finger on exactly why I didn't agree.

Tonight, while brushing the cat, I remembered something another friend said to me back in the 80s. She was having a fling with a neighbor's spouse. Then I told her it wasn't really the right thing to do, that if this person was cheating on their spouse, there was a strong probability that they would cheat on her, too. That was just one argument she got from me. She replied, "Well, if God didn't mean for me to be with him, he wouldn't have put us so close to each other."

At that time, again, I couldn't put my finger on the reason that didn't work for my sense of logic.

Tonight, I went a little further in my thinking and I now realize why this logic does not work for any Christian, or any person following the Commandments.

Temptation is temptation. Just because it is in front of us, it doesn't mean we are meant to, or supposed to, or expected to give in to it. Oh, it can be SO tempting - that is its nature.

But, hey, look at what happened in the Garden of Eden - shouldn't that be example enough for us?

Sweet Lord Jesus, please remind me, at the moment of temptation, that I can come to you for help in resisting it. I am, after all, merely human, and I do, often, need that help!