Lying in bed the other night as I let my thoughts wander it struck me, that in life the acts that entice us are always the bad ones. For example, wanting to
watch tv when you know you should be studying for an upcoming exam,
eat chocolates, pastries and burgers when you know you should be sticking to your diet,
sleep when you know should be cooking,
splurge when you know you should be saving,
say lies and hide things when you know you should be be telling the truth,
dwell on issues when you know you should be concentrating elsewhere,
set lose your wrath when you know you should be keeping calm, and
give up at the last moment when you know you should be persevering some more.
In each of the above cases giving in comes at some cost. At the end of the day the pleasure turns out to be momentary with our conscience constantly reminding us of our guilt. Knowing this very well, still so many times we are unable to be on good behaviour. Maintaining restraint doesn't come easily. Perhaps that is why we ask the Lord in prayer,
“Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”
1 comment:
Cheer up, nclgirl, you are in great company!
Jesus' first experience as an adult was the temptation to live a life full of glory and honour (see Matthew 4), and his last temptation was to ask his father to spare him from the cross (Matthew 26). "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak", is how he put it.
St Paul felt as if the body was at war with the soul (Romans 7). But he later explained, "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 stand up under it."(1 Corinthians 10).
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