I have to admit that it can be mind-boggling when I learn something new that changes the dynamics toward understanding something I have been accustomed to knowing nearly all my life. Especially, if it involves āre-thinkingā parts of a fairly adaptable āmemorizationā from the church such as Psalm 23, The Apostleās Creed, and even the Lordās Prayer.
One
such encounter led our church into a full-hour discussion as our Sunday School
lesson. It was part of the Lordās Prayer found in Matthew 6:13, āAnd do not
lead us into temptationā¦.ā What, exactly, does it really mean to ānot lead
us into temptation?ā
I
found is that it does not literally mean ākeep me from being tempted.ā The key
word here is ātemptationā which means ātrialā or āproving.ā It has a
stronger, spiritual meaning than a mere whimsical approach such as āhelp me
resist the temptation to eat another slice of cake!ā It also puts to rest that
God is āmessing with usā to see if we ātake the baitā and choose to sin.
James 1:13, āWhen tempted, no one should say, āGod is
tempting me.ā For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt
anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their
own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it
gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.ā
Godās
intentions are for our growth and maturity as well as to strengthen our faith
while deepening our relationship with Him. Trials and temptations are not
allowed for our demise or destruction. It is Godās desire for us to draw near
to Him and through that relationship allow, by faith, to walk with us through
each and every trial. As hard as it may be at the time, we must rest and trust
that God has our best in mind by allowing such trials.
James 1:2-3, āDear brothers and sisters, when
troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to
grow.ā
1 Peter
1:6-7,
āSo be truly glad. There is wonderful joy
ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials
will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and
purifies goldāthough your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when
your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise
and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.ā
God
wants us to choose what is right. Sometimes, our resolve needs to be tested and
tried to build a resistance towards anything that could entice us to be less
than God created us to be. Our hearts desire is to please God and honor Him by
choosing righteousness over an easy-fix-solution that is not of His plans or
will for us. It has been said, āAn
untested faith is a weak faith, compared with one that has passed through a
searching test and emerged victorious.ā
It is sometimes difficult and confusing when trying to fathom why God
will allow testing and trials to come about in our lives. We can succumb to
bitterness, resentment and self-pity. That, is yet, another trial to overcome
āself.ā Instead of immediately blaming God and accusing Him of being cruel,
take a step back, take a deep breath, and ask God for help by asking what He
wants you to learn through the entire process of walking in this trial.
The
bottom line is faith! Is it in God? Can we accept the path which God knows to
be His will for us? Can we choose resilience and trust in order to grow,
mature, and strengthen our faith and relationship with our Heavenly Father?
Many,
Iāve seen become impatient, bitter, or resentful for the challenges and trials
and wish nothing more than to ābe rescuedā or to āget outā of the situation as
quickly as possible. Instead of patiently learning the lessons that could have
matured and strengthened them, they, instead, turned to āselfā and the world to
get the āquick fixā āanswersā that were more immediate and attractive. By doing
so, what appeared to be the answer was actually more trouble and made things
worse than ever before.
We
can sometimes be so fixated on our trials that we miss the lessons that will
grow us out of the trial. Worldly ways of the āquick fixā will never offer
solutions that give us the wisdom to prevent further disasters or messes later
in life. There is always a way to ālearn our way out.ā
1
Corinthians10:13, āThe temptations
in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful.
He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are
tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.ā God wants you
to be victorious in and through any and all trials.
So,
the next time we pray the Lord ās Prayer and ask ālead us not into
temptationā may it be our resolve and our choice to stand firm in the times of
trials so that our faith grows stronger and we become even more mature in our
faith. By submitting to God in these trials, learning from Him, and letting go
of āself,ā we will soon see the truth of James
4:7, that we are able to, more than ever before, āResist the devilā¦ā and give even broader room for the trials to
become our source of victory!