God has given us the beautiful gift of free will, and expects us to use it righteously. One of the uses we can have for it is the decision to avoid unwanted or unnecessary situations where we may find ourselves cornered by temptation, or victim to wrongdoing.
Have you ever set yourself up for a situation you wished you wouldn't be caught up with in the first place? Here are some tips to help you avoid such situations in the future.
1. Look Back to Your Unwanted Experiences and Learn from Them
One of the most powerful ways to learn how to avoid unwanted situations is by learning from your own personal experiences before. Look back to those times and get wisdom.
For example, if you find yourself in an abusive relationship with others, you need to ask yourself how it happened, what did you do wrong, how did you fail to address it, and why did you stay in such a situation. Look back to the things that God rescued you from. Praise Him for it, and learn from it.
"He will declare to his friends, 'I sinned and twisted the truth, but it was not worth it. God rescued me from the grave, and now my life is filled with light.' Yes, God does these things again and again for people. He rescues them from the grave so they may enjoy the light of life." (Job 33:27-30)
2. Make Plans to Avoid Compromising Situations
The best thing to do is to plan your course of action. Watch out for red flags, and steer away from them as soon as possible so that you won't be caught in a sticky situation.
For example, you're a married man working away from home. Keep in mind that if you're not on guard, you could get tempted by what you see or interact with. If you sense danger, refrain from interacting, and don't give room for sin.
Consider what Joseph did according to Genesis 39:12, after his master's wife kept pressuring him to commit sin: "She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, "Come on, sleep with me!" Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house."
Be that kind of person: fleeing sinful – not just sexual – lusts.
3. Be Around Safe People
Although this might not apply to every situation, it would be best to be around safe people as much as possible. It actually helps to have an accountability partner nearby.
Married couples have the upper hand in this scenario. Choose to prioritise your relationship with your spouse more than any other relationship, even with those of your kids. Do your best to be with your spouse in every moment, enjoying each other.
For singles, it's best to stay with fellow Christ-followers of the same sex as compared to always going around with a friend of the opposite sex. Better stay away from situations where you might be tempted to compromise.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reminds us, "Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble."
