It is not the temptation or adversity that defines me, it is how I recover from it. I teach this as a part of my mission to improve lives through growth and learning. It is inevitable that we will be tempted in life and will have to overcome that temptation to get through the difficult situations that we will encounter.
“13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” – Matthew 6:13 (ESV)
In order for us to grow and learn, it is important that we experience temptation and adversity. We learn and overcome to be stronger on the other side. But, do we ask not to be tempted, do we ask not to experience adversity. I find that we are reactive to what comes at us as opposed to proactive to avoid things.
I have to make sure and ask to be delivered from temptation and adversity so as not to have to experience them. I want to live a life that is comfortable and filled with opportunity to give God the glory He should be receiving. When I am focusing my attention on overcoming temptation and adversity, how much will I be able to focus on bringing God the glory.
I have to ask God to lead me in the path to His glory and away from temptation and adversity. I have to ask in order to receive. Will I still have to overcome, yes. Will God deliver me for His glory, yes. God only wants what is best for me and if there are times that I have to experience hardship and overcome, then He will allow it to be. But, I still have the ability and have been instructed by Jesus here in the Lord’s Prayer to ask to be spared from that hardship. If I do not ask, it is likely I will not receive.
It is important that we learn to overcome the temptation and adversity that we are presented with. The thing is that there will be plenty of opportunity to do so without asking for it. God wants what is best for us and when we ask Him, He will provide. Jesus gave us the model prayer and it outlines that we should ask to be delivered and not led into any difficult situations. Asking God for deliverance will lead to the temptation and adversity minimized to that which is necessary for our growth, learning, and bringing of glory to God. No need to ask for more.
Are you asking to be challenged in the interest of growing from it? Are you defining yourself by the temptations and adversity you are experiencing? What if we were to ask to not experience the temptation and adversity as opposed to being delivered from them?
Trevor's Thoughts 