"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. 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 endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
Hope is defined as a verb as - want something to happen or be the case. I often use the word HOPE because I wish something would happen and I'm not really sure what will happen. I hope a lot because I want to know exactly what will happen next and this sometimes causes a lot of undue anxiety. It's crazy and I know I shouldn't, but I do. I am getting better though. I'll be coming back to this at the end. I promise.
I read 1 Corinthians 10:13 this morning and I can't get it out of my head. I first thought "hey this gives me hope" and then realized it isn't hope. Its fact. Before I get to the last part of the verse, I will comment on the first part.
"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind"
All men are created equal right? I am not special in my temptations. Suprise, neither are you!
We all face temptations. Jesus was even tempted by the evil one himself and he endured and didn't succumb to them which is why he was the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Don't forget he was one of us in the flesh. Also, being tempted isn't a sin. Acting on that temptation is the sin.
Paul makes it very obvious in this chapter of what was happening in previous history. Verse 6 reads "Now these things took place as an example for us, that we might not desire evil as they did." It's the same thing we fight with daily as well. Examples are littered through the Bible and our history books and yet we repeat these sins over and over again. We are sinners plain and simple.
Verse 9a "We must not put Christ to the test," being a sinner also doesn't give us the excuse to sin. We will face death for sure if we choose to sin the same sin over and over.
Learning from the past mistakes of others is important to avoid those same pitfalls. Verse 11 "Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction." The Bible is our manual on what to do and more importantly what not to do. Are you similar to the typical man and think you don't need to read the instructions? Bad mistake. Take it from me we have to read the instruction manual daily and follow the directions. even then there probably will be a few nuts-and-bolts leftover. We aren't perfect remember.
This is also a great reason why a community like The Council is so valuable. We can share and discuss these challenges with one another and hopefully help someone else not make the same mistakes we have or at least bring awareness that we are not "special" or "unique" in our own sins. Confession with our mouths is a critical instruction we are given.
Now to circle back to the topic of HOPE.
"But when you are tempted, He will provide you a way out." God stands by His word and therefore HOPE is the incorrect word to use when things look bleak.
Its fact! He offers a way out because He gave us the gift of freewill and choice. We don't have to fall to the same sin over and over if we choose not to. We are strong enough. Yes, you are too.
If I still chose to look at porn all the time, I would not be the man I am today. I made the conscious decision to stop and eliminate all temptation and can say I have been porn free for almost 4 years. It wasn't easy, but there was a way out. We are never hopeless in our sins. NEVER!
A commentator states, "If God keeps us from temptations greater than we can withstand, we cannot plead our temptations as an excuse for sinning. Sin is never a necessity for a believer." God knows we will sin and are far from perfect and that is why he sent His Son to serve as a perfect sacrifice.
Never hope you can beat a habitual sin. It's fact. You CAN! Put in the work. Ask for help. Be accountable. You are loved and not alone.