W7D3: Temptations and Tests

"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 NLT

Teachers use tests as a helpful tool to measure the performance of their students. By exposing strengths and weaknesses tests show if they are growing or struggling, they help the students master the subject. In the spiritual realm, God uses tests to bring out the best in us, but Satan uses temptations to bring out the worst in us.

Satan can’t create anything; he always warps what God has created to use it as a weapon. This is true of tests because our enemy knows the way we respond to adversities will either draw us closer to God or push us farther away from Him. Satan knows the way we handle our suffering has the potential and the power to make us thrive or to stop us in our tracks.

Tests are not about passing or failing, they are opportunities to grow. They are chances to become more of who we are created to be. Tests will show us if we are someone who chooses life-giving actions instead of destructive ones. They help us to live out our faith with our actions, not just our words. In the midst of suffering we have opportunities to choose trust instead of fear, to accept instead of complain, to forgive instead of seeking revenge. We can let go of our pride and choose humility instead of proving we were right. Obstacles are opportunities to live out what we say we believe.

Pain is necessary in our lives. Without pain, we will suffer severe injury and even death. Some people can't feel physical pain. They don’t know when they burn their hand on a hot stove. They can literally lose their hand and not know it. So, pain is good because it redirects our actions, our habits and how we live. Pain is a useful tool, but we can’t allow it to dictate the way we live our lives. We can’t have an uncontrollable fear of the stove and refuse to cook or go near one again, that wouldn’t be healthy. We can’t let fear of pain dictate how we live but we can use our pain to grow. It lets us know something is wrong, that we need to adjust our behavior, not freak out. Emotional, relational and spiritual pain is also a gift. It tells us something needs transformation, something needs healing.

Don’t pray for the removal of pain—pray for the redemption of pain. The secret to happiness is not avoiding pain but learning how to respond to it. Every day has difficult aspects that give us the opportunity to respond in healthy ways. Instead of asking why, we ask God what He wants to teach us, then take action so we can grow. We can trust that the “why” will be revealed in time. 

Do you struggle with knee jerk reactions? How can your habitual reaction to pain be either destructive or constructive?

Meditate on "He will not allow the temptation to be more”.