The other night we had a gathering of people at our pastor’s house. One of the questions that was asked is how do you avoid temptations?
We gave all kinds of answers, but it was not until later that the real answer to the question dawned on me.
We cannot avoid the temptations. This is what Satan and his minions do. Think about it, Satan tempted Christ. So it is not that we can avoid temptations, but it is how we respond to them that makes the difference.
Today, I had lunch with the pastor and was tempted to eat a burger with a bun and fries. I gave in. I should have gotten the burger without the bun and ordered broccoli. Why did I not do what I was planning?
My flesh wanted that burger and those fries. That gives rise to the other way we are tempted. Our flesh wants what our flesh wants. We have to learn to resist those temptations.
So the next time you are thinking how can I avoid those temptations, remember this, you cannot. You can avoid giving into them, but that will take a lot of effort on your part and you will need help from your friends, family, church, and most definitely the Lord.