Daily Devotional for September 1, 2013

1 Corinthians 10:13
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.
 
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
 
A few weeks ago, I bought a stack of vintage linens at an estate sale.  I carefully selected what I thought were “good” linens… or those that still had useful embroidery or details.  After washing everything, I discovered that a few were pretty tattered.  In particular, there was a pair of embroidered pillowcases that I really wanted to use to make little girls’ dresses.  I decided that I could cut around the bad spots on one pillowcase and create a cute little blouse for our niece, Zola.  There was almost the same scenario with a pair of pale pink pillowcases… and I decided I could use the “best” one to make a pair of pants to match Zola’s blouse.
 
I began to sew the blouse together, and about two-thirds of the way into the project, I tugged on the fabric to pull it taught… and it ripped.  The fabric was so old and fragile that it gave way under stress.  “No worries,” I thought…”I’ll stitch a decorative flower over that spot!  After all, this is vintage fabric!”  Then another spot tore…and another.  I was almost ready to give up.  This was too much.  I had spent a couple of hours on the garment at this point.  The temptation to cut my losses was there… did I dare succumb to it?  In the end, I decided to keep going…to reinforce the torn spots with sturdy stitching and cover them in fabric flower enhancements.  If Zola only wore this blouse one time and it fell apart in the wash, so be it!
 
The end result was darling… and then I experienced virtually the same thing when I made the pants.  The fabric tore as I stitched the waistband!  I added a little more sturdy “over-stitching”…and I was done.  Again, the temptation was to throw in the towel and start another project.  But I was able to work through this and finish both garments. I know there will be times when it is right to change directions and leave a project unfinished.  But the lesson I learned from this experience and others is that God will tell me when that time comes.  Until then, I am to persevere.  I know that God will help me handle all of my temptations.
 
Every day, EVERY ONE of us tempted in one way or another, just as this scripture declares.  No one is immune to this.  Temptations go far beyond food, alcohol, nicotine and drugs, which are some of the ones that generally come to mind first.
 

• We are tempted to quit our job or give up on relationships.
• We are tempted to drop out of school or a class that seems too difficult.
• We are tempted to stop caring and trying with loved ones and friends who reject us.
• We are tempted to give up on exercise when results are slow in materializing.
• We are tempted to leave the church when we disagree with fellow members… someone is critical of us… or we experience a conflict of some sort.
• We are tempted to give others a piece of our mind when we are irritated.
• We are tempted to stick our noses in where they don’t belong.
• We are tempted to drink too much, dress too provocatively, curse, tell off-color jokes, and agree with derogatory slurs in order to fit in with the crowd.
• We are tempted to criticize or put down the other guy in order to make ourselves look more important or special.
• We are tempted to spend too much and acquire more “stuff” than we will ever need or use.
• We are tempted to fall apart when grief and/or tragedy strikes.
• We are tempted to pull the covers over our head and never get out of bed again!

We are tempted to give in and follow the “ways of the world”…to settle for what seems like “the easy way out,” and to sell our souls to the devil in the process.  Remember, even Jesus was tempted.  None of us are exempt!  But Jesus did not succumb… and neither should we.  Think of how easy it would have been for Him to give in after 40 days in the desert… to turn just one little stone into a piece of bread to stave off His hunger… much like we want to have “just a little” of whatever tempts us – or give up or in “just a little”.
 
Do we really think so little of God that we cannot trust Him to help us handle temptation?  Is the choice really so tantalizing that we cannot resist with His help? Every day we have choices to make… and temptations to resist.  God stands ready – and able – to help us in this. The only temptation we should entertain is the one to accept His help and care in all things. When impulses and decisions arise in your life… how – and WHO – will you choose to handle them?  Will you opt to give up, give in… or let God guide your choices?
 
©2013 Debbie Robus