Temptation and its Subtlety!
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. (I Corinthians 10:13).
I find the longer I walk with Jesus the more the devil attacks me with different types of temptation. In my natural state (non-Christian) of mind, temptation was a problem only if I felt there was a way I would get caught. In my spiritual state (being born again) it becomes a problem because it upsets the delicate balance between assumed spirituality and real spirituality.
Temptation for every disciple, has two hazards: time, that is making a short cut: and method, that is substituting a different way than God’s way. Therefore, every temptation forces me to reexamine my spiritual foundations and to choose whether I will wait for Go’s time or seize my own time. This inner struggle God makes me ‘learn obedience” even as Jesus learned obedience. But let’s be clear God is not the author of temptation or evil. (James 1:13-15).
I have walked with the Lord for 53 years and I have realized the subtle temptation becomes. It is like approaching a bright light; the closer we get, the sharper the shadows become. The temptation of Jesus in Gethsemane was far more subtle than the temptations He suffered in the wilderness. Each new level of commitment opens a whole new range of possible deviations from that commitment.
When I am tempted, I am consoled by Jesus, who was “touched” with understanding my weaknesses. (Hebrews 4:15). He cannot remove my temptation because He is not the author of it but understands the battle I am in. He never lets me go even when I let go of Him by my own volition. He is the author and finisher of my faith as long as I make Him the source of my faith. He understands and comes to my rescue as I reach out to Him. (Hebrews 2:18).