September 16th
Life Gets Heavy Sometimes
Across the room sits an individual who is sharing with me the temptation which he is going. I must say IT IS HEAVY. It seems he is being crushed by the experience. He cries out for HELP. He understands that the tempter comes and tempts and he recognizes that he does yield and then he feels bad. (Can you identify?)
What I say is easy to communicate, BUT I will say quickly that the "doing of it" is rather difficult. The Bible says in 1 Cor. 10:13,
"No temptation has seized you except what is COMMONto man. And God is faithful; he will not let you
be tempted beyond what you can bear."
The Word continues to say that when we are tempted, God will also provide a way out so that we can stand UP under it.
Let me illustrate it with the following remarks. You know, actual physical pressure is similar to the "pressure" of temptation.l You take the atomic submarine - "Thresher". It was built strong enough to engage the ice at the North Pole. Yet there was a maximum crush depth level. The sub exceeded that depth and as the pressure increased the seawater crushed the sub's heavy steel bulkheads as if they were made of plastic.
YET (second illustration) there are fish that actually can and do live at the same depth which the Thresher was crushed!! How about that. And how do they do it? How do the fish survive?? Answer! I am told that they have equal pressure within themselves.
Now, here, my friend, is the bottom line. In yourself you are doomed - to be crushed. BUT YOU HAVE JESUS and according to the scripture above, there is no temptation beyond our ability to resist.
So I say to the individual in my office. "YOU CAN do it. You can have victory in Jesus." It will not be easy - it never is - but if you will exercise your "will" and do it often enough the Lord will come through in victory for you.
Let's pray
HELP, HELP, HELP, is the cry we make, Father. We need your energizing power to flow through this one during great times of temptation. Thank you that you are only a prayer away and that your ear is not too heavy that you can't hear the cry of this one. May they be bold and may they be strong during such times, in the name of Jesus.
Amen