As Christians, we face temptation every single day. As we make our way through Lent, it's a topic that many of us are thinking about more than ever. We're constantly surrounded by temptation but when we actively work to turn away from it and manage our desires to do things which we know are wrong or unwise, we often become more aware of the ways that temptation can effect us.
My chocolate cravings seem to intensify as soon as I make the decision to refrain from eating it. And it's as if the shelves in shops and supermarkets suddenly place chocolate front and centre. Any pre-Lent chocolatey food items in my cupboards have to be put to the back, out of sight, just in case I lapse momentarily - such is the intensity of the temptation. But the somewhat silliness of chocolate aside, this pull towards things which lead us away from God can have a profound impact on our relationships and our faith. Sometimes temptation presents itself in physical ways, for example, food that we know isn't good for us, drugs or alcohol abuse and other times it manifests in a less tangible state - speaking unkind words, prioritising things that bring us immediate personal happiness above God.
Jesus' words to his disciples give us a great starting point to thinking about how can we can work to tackle temptation today. 'Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,' (Matthew 26:4). Prayer is a powerful and effective tool in the fight to overcome temptation. We can see from Jesus' words that willpower alone isn't enough to free us from the temptation trap. 'Why are you sleeping?' he asked them. 'Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation,' (Luke 22:46).
When we think about how to pray for strength in resisting succumbing to lesser impulses, we can find our own words and we can also follow Jesus' teaching on prayer. 'Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation,' Luke 11:4.
We can't always resist temptation and on the occasions when we do give in, we can draw comfort from the fact that God is gracious and forgiving. It can be really tough but we're in the best company when it comes to being subject to temptation. 'Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil,' (Matthew 4:1). And even in times where it seems impossible to overcome, these words can reassure us, '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.
