My eyes get me into a lot of trouble. What I see is usually what I want, and my heart follows submissively behind. I have found that what I allow myself to be exposed to is usually more than my will-power can withstand. Temptation then is particularly dangerous for me, but thankfully I have found my “way out”.
I learned a valuable lesson a few years back for handling temptation in a more productive way and it all began with 1 Corinthians 10:13. It says, ” 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.”
This verse taught me that God has a plan for me in dealing with temptation. It teaches me that He knows I will be tempted in this life, and probably feel helpless much of the time because of these temptations that are so common. Because He is faithful though, He has given me, and everyone, a way of responding to such vulnerabilities so that we will not be continually victimized.
I believe the “way out” is subjective and personal for each of us but I wanted to share what has helped me, keeping in mind though that this does not mean my plan is fool-proof. I can mess up anytime, no matter how well intentioned a plan may be.
My plan consists of knowing my weaknesses and the high probability of failure in dealing with them. Knowing this as fact and no longer thinking that “next time” I will do better, I anticipate what will come if I expose myself to reoccurring temptations. So my “way out” becomes controlling my exposure. If I can’t control my weaknesses, then what if I control situations where my weaknesses are triggered?
If, for example, I cannot keep money in my pocket when I see what I would want to buy, then I don’t go to such places where I may see what I would want. If I don’t have the money to spend, then I stay away from those places or websites. Or if I cannot make “Hello Dollies” without eating most of the pan in two days then I don’t allow myself to bake them very often. I will walk by the aisle at the grocery store where I would find all the ingredients. I have found I have the will power at the grocery, just not at home once they are made.
So when I see Proverbs 23:17-18 say , “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off “, I already have my plan in place. To read about not envying can seem impossible. I find it all too easy to envy. But I have seen how my “way out” helps in such cases. My answer becomes to steer clear of people or situations that provoke me to envy.
I know steering clear from all potential envy is unreasonable, but by knowing my worst triggers or tendencies, I can succeed more times than not. If certain types of people or clubs or activities put me in a probable state of envy, then I learn from that and avoid them. I choose the people I spend much of my time with carefully. I choose how I spend my time carefully. I control my life when I can, so that my weaknesses do not expose me to the envy that is quick to come to me as a perfectionist.
My “way out” is two-fold. I avoid what will bring out the worst in me while gravitating to what and who is good for me. I spend more time investing in people and situations/events that grow what God wants me to develop. Godly friends who I can laugh with, cry with and grow with are to my advantage. Activities that require and promote what God wants me to gain from or invest in is also a priority. Since I know I am vulnerable to who and what I allow in my life, then I strategically place the who and what that is best for me.
I woke up one day to the fact that the devil knew my weaknesses well enough to use them against me. Therefore I needed to stop being the fool in his trap. I needed to know my weaknesses just as well and then avoid those situations when I knew I would probably fail. For me, envy is too easy to fall victim to because of my perfectionist tendency to compare myself with others. Being zealous for the Lord counters those tendencies and additionally invests in a future hope that I know will be mine one day.
By avoiding what is not healthy for me, I am implementing the “out of sight, out of mind” strategy. I don’t think about what I am not seeing usually. God is faithful because He helped me learn what provokes me and how I can bear up under it.
What about you? What is your trigger? What can you do to reduce your exposure to those people or circumstances that only bring out the worst in you? It may take some guts to break some patterns and make some changes but you will be so glad you did! Life does not have to be full of unhealthy emotions. You were made for something, or should I say Someone, so much better!
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