I think I've discovered one of the biggest tricks Satan plays on his girls to get us to give into temptation.
There is a statement that has caused many a girl to toss aside what she knows is right for the temporary thrill of what feels right. But the next day the sun will rise as it has a habit of doing every day. As each band of light becomes brighter and brighter, the realization of the choice she made the night before, becomes clearer and clearer.
Guilt floods her body.
Questions fill her mind.
Self doubt wrecks her confidence.
And then the anger comes. Anger at herself. Anger at the object of her desire. Anger even at a mighty God who surely could have prevented this.
What is this statement that set all of this in motion? "It's not fair."
It's not fair that others seem permitted to have this, do this, act this way.
It's not fair that God won't let us eat of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden... one little bit wouldn't be so bad, right?
It's not fair I can't buy that new thing I not only want but really feel I need... just a little debt wouldn't be so bad, right?
It's not fair I have this body that I have to watch everything I eat when that girl eats junk and stays a size 4... one piece of cheesecake wouldn't be so bad, right?
It's not fair that we can't have sex before we're married when we're so in love... experimenting one time wouldn't be so bad, right?
Our flesh buys right into Satan's lie that it's not fair for things to be withheld from us. So we bite into the forbidden fruit and allow Satan to write 'shame' across our heart.
Now, I realize a piece of cheesecake is a small compromise compared to a young girl losing her purity. But if one piece leads to two, leads to other compromises, leads to wrecking our whole healthy eating plan, then the spiral downward is quite similar.
Once you taste the forbidden fruit, you will crave it worse than you craved it before. Therefore giving temptation more and more power. And given enough power, temptation will start to consume our thoughts, redirect our actions, and demand our worship. Temptation doesn't take kindly to be starved.
I don't know what tempts you today. But, I do personally know this vicious cycle and I'm here to give you hope it is possible to conquer it. Just typing that sentence gives me chills. Just a couple of months ago, I wondered if that would ever be true for me.
Most of you know I've been on a very strict eating plan since April. Part of this plan is no sugar. Which doesn't sound so bad until you realize sugar is in just about everything we enjoy eating. Breads, pasta, potatoes, rice and not to mention all things bakery-licious.
It has been challenging at times that's for sure. But when I'm at home in an environment I can control, it became easier and easier. Well, this week I've been dropped into a place that is teaming with bakery things my mind could not even conceive. And I'm with my husband who could eat a pound of sugar a day and still look fit and trim.
So, I started to have a little pity party and those words crept into my brain, "It's not fair."
In that instant, I squirmed in my chair and thought, "I'll just take one little bite... maybe two... I've been so good... this is vacation... everyone else is indulging...OH MY STARS WHAT ARE YOU DOING LYSA!"
The sugar was like a siren of mythical tales, luring the ships over to rocky coves that would inevitably dash and destroy them. The seduction was smooth and seemingly innocent.
But in that moment of temptation, I realized me having a pity party was a clue I was relying on my own strength in that moment. A strength that has failed me before and would fail me again.
I had to grab hold of God's strength and the only way to do that was to invite his power into this situation. I mentally gave God control of the situation by reciting truths I'd been banking up in my heart. "I'm more than a conqueror." "With God all things are possible." "Let the peace of God reign in your heart." "Lead us not into temptation but DELIVER us from the evil one..."
Soon, it was time to get up from the dinner table and walk back to our room. And I've never felt so empowered in my life. Had I said yes to that one bite, that first night of our vacation, there would have been more compromises. Compromise built upon compromise equals failure.
Instead, resisting temptation allowed promise upon promise to be built up in my heart which equals empowerment.
One day, I will be empowered enough to take one bite and walk away... but that day isn't now.
Like I said, I don't know what you might be struggling with today but I can assure you...
God is fair and just. There is a reason we must face this.
The struggle may be painful in the moment but it is working out something magnificent within us. As James 1 promises, "this testing of your faith develops perseverance and perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature, complete, not lacking anything."
Oh sweet sisters, that is the cry of my soul. The cry of my taste buds makes such empty claims to satisfy me. But only persevering with God will make me truly full, complete, not lacking anything.
Press on sisters. Press on.
There is a statement that has caused many a girl to toss aside what she knows is right for the temporary thrill of what feels right. But the next day the sun will rise as it has a habit of doing every day. As each band of light becomes brighter and brighter, the realization of the choice she made the night before, becomes clearer and clearer.
Guilt floods her body.
Questions fill her mind.
Self doubt wrecks her confidence.
And then the anger comes. Anger at herself. Anger at the object of her desire. Anger even at a mighty God who surely could have prevented this.
What is this statement that set all of this in motion? "It's not fair."
It's not fair that others seem permitted to have this, do this, act this way.
It's not fair that God won't let us eat of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden... one little bit wouldn't be so bad, right?
It's not fair I can't buy that new thing I not only want but really feel I need... just a little debt wouldn't be so bad, right?
It's not fair I have this body that I have to watch everything I eat when that girl eats junk and stays a size 4... one piece of cheesecake wouldn't be so bad, right?
It's not fair that we can't have sex before we're married when we're so in love... experimenting one time wouldn't be so bad, right?
Our flesh buys right into Satan's lie that it's not fair for things to be withheld from us. So we bite into the forbidden fruit and allow Satan to write 'shame' across our heart.
Now, I realize a piece of cheesecake is a small compromise compared to a young girl losing her purity. But if one piece leads to two, leads to other compromises, leads to wrecking our whole healthy eating plan, then the spiral downward is quite similar.
Once you taste the forbidden fruit, you will crave it worse than you craved it before. Therefore giving temptation more and more power. And given enough power, temptation will start to consume our thoughts, redirect our actions, and demand our worship. Temptation doesn't take kindly to be starved.
I don't know what tempts you today. But, I do personally know this vicious cycle and I'm here to give you hope it is possible to conquer it. Just typing that sentence gives me chills. Just a couple of months ago, I wondered if that would ever be true for me.
Most of you know I've been on a very strict eating plan since April. Part of this plan is no sugar. Which doesn't sound so bad until you realize sugar is in just about everything we enjoy eating. Breads, pasta, potatoes, rice and not to mention all things bakery-licious.
It has been challenging at times that's for sure. But when I'm at home in an environment I can control, it became easier and easier. Well, this week I've been dropped into a place that is teaming with bakery things my mind could not even conceive. And I'm with my husband who could eat a pound of sugar a day and still look fit and trim.
So, I started to have a little pity party and those words crept into my brain, "It's not fair."
In that instant, I squirmed in my chair and thought, "I'll just take one little bite... maybe two... I've been so good... this is vacation... everyone else is indulging...OH MY STARS WHAT ARE YOU DOING LYSA!"
The sugar was like a siren of mythical tales, luring the ships over to rocky coves that would inevitably dash and destroy them. The seduction was smooth and seemingly innocent.
But in that moment of temptation, I realized me having a pity party was a clue I was relying on my own strength in that moment. A strength that has failed me before and would fail me again.
I had to grab hold of God's strength and the only way to do that was to invite his power into this situation. I mentally gave God control of the situation by reciting truths I'd been banking up in my heart. "I'm more than a conqueror." "With God all things are possible." "Let the peace of God reign in your heart." "Lead us not into temptation but DELIVER us from the evil one..."
Soon, it was time to get up from the dinner table and walk back to our room. And I've never felt so empowered in my life. Had I said yes to that one bite, that first night of our vacation, there would have been more compromises. Compromise built upon compromise equals failure.
Instead, resisting temptation allowed promise upon promise to be built up in my heart which equals empowerment.
One day, I will be empowered enough to take one bite and walk away... but that day isn't now.
Like I said, I don't know what you might be struggling with today but I can assure you...
God is fair and just. There is a reason we must face this.
The struggle may be painful in the moment but it is working out something magnificent within us. As James 1 promises, "this testing of your faith develops perseverance and perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature, complete, not lacking anything."
Oh sweet sisters, that is the cry of my soul. The cry of my taste buds makes such empty claims to satisfy me. But only persevering with God will make me truly full, complete, not lacking anything.
Press on sisters. Press on.
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