26Apr16

1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)
"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

This is, quite possibly, the most misquoted verse in the entire Bible. Right next to 1 Timothy 6:10 "For the LOVE of money is a root of all kinds of evils." Some people look at this verse and paraphrase it to say, "God will never give you more than you can handle." That's just wrong and a wrong view of God and His power. Notice what it actually says, in context. It doesn't say that if I sit in the middle of temptation and sin that God is going to give me the strength to endure it... It says that God provides the way of escape. Who provides the way of escape? But, if I try hard enough I can conquer any temptation that comes my way right? If I just do this thing or believe that thing or say the right magic words then the temptation will just go away right? Wrong again. God provides a way out. God does. Yup. God. Not me. Not you.

The problem with thinking that temptation is something that we personally have the strength to overcome and that God wont "give me more than I can handle" is that it downplays the role of God in your life. Of course God's going to give you more than you can handle on your own! If He didn't then we wouldn't need Him. We wouldn't turn to Him. This verse has so much truth in it that we don't like to acknowledge like: 1) The temptation you are going through is not unique to you... it's common. Other people are dealing with it and finding escape through God. 2) That God only promises endurance in our escape. Endurance. That doesn't mean there's going to be a victory party at the end of every temptation. It means that sometimes you're lucky just to keep on walking after it.

All of this is possible because God is faithful. He is faithful in our trials and in our temptation to provide us with a way out and He won't allow it to overwhelm us if we turn to Him in our pain and sorrows. Are you looking for a way to escape your temptations or are you sitting in them, enjoying the worldly benefits, and hoping that one day you can power your way through it? Are you leaning on YOUR power or God's grace?