A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences. – Proverbs 22:3 NLT
Four years ago, I made a choice that changed my life. Since childhood, I have struggled with my weight and eating. Things got to the point where I was almost at 300 lbs. Desperate for help, I reached out to a health coach friend, who put me on a plan that continues to serve me well. After our first meeting, my friend warned me about the temptations which would come my way. I thought I was prepared for how hard it would be, but I was so wrong!
On day one, a co-worker had a birthday party at work, and they served chocolate cake (which happens to be my favorite kind of cake). My office was right across the hall from the party. Determined to stay on the plan, I kept my door closed and focused on my work. Multiple people came by, asking if I wanted a slice. I politely declined, but the offers continued until one person finally entered my office and set a delicious piece on my desk. The urge to devour that mouthwatering morsel was almost overwhelming!
In Proverbs 22:3, Solomon writes about the importance of preparing for problems coming down the road. We all struggle with temptations in our lives, whether it’s food (which is one of mine), substance abuse, pornography, overwork, laziness, doom scrolling, etc. We must not only see the dangers in our lives but take action to deal with them. So, how should we as believers prepare for areas of temptation in our lives?
1. Deepen your spiritual roots. In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus spent forty days fasting before He is tempted by the devil. Jesus focused on His relationship with the Father before facing the enemy. As believers, we can deepen our spiritual roots to face temptations through spiritual disciplines. The purpose of discipline is to help increase our love for Jesus and also for us to know how much He loves us. The more we experience His love, the more we will want to combat temptation head-on. Set aside a few minutes each day to read a passage of Scripture and pray to God about what’s on your mind and heart. Schedule one day a month to fast from something (like a meal, caffeine, or social media) for that day, and use the time you would have spent on that activity to spend extra time with the Lord. Memorize a Scripture a month that encourages you to say no to temptation. Look for ways to serve others in your life to shift the focus off yourself and onto others around you who need help.
2. Develop a team. We can’t defeat temptation alone. Hebrews 10:25 says, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.” Ask family and friends for support. Plug into a local church. Become a part of a Bible study. Join a support group. Meet with some of those friends weekly to talk about the areas where you struggle with temptation. Be honest about where you’re battling sin. Invite them to ask you questions about where you succeeded, where you stumbled, and how they can come alongside you in your quest to defeat temptation. Then do the same for them. Look for a sponsor in your support group and ask your pastor if someone in your church can meet with you weekly or monthly to mentor you in the faith. The more people you have on your team, the more support you’ll have when facing temptation.
3. Discard stumbling blocks. A stumbling block is anything that causes you to fall into sin. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.” When I started my health plan, I threw out all the junk food in my house. I knew I’d stumble if it were in the house. What stumbling blocks are in your life? Is there something in your house that needs to go, like my junk food? Are there places you need to stop going to? Is there someone you need to stop spending time with? Are there apps on your devices you need to delete? Identify and remove as many stumbling blocks from your life as possible.
4. Discover healthy alternatives. When you’re tempted to do something bad, refocus on something good. Philippians 4:8 says, “Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Go for a walk, call a friend, read a good book, get out into nature, work on a hobby, etc. Make a list beforehand, so you’re ready when temptation comes your way. The more you can fill your mind and life with positive things, the less likely you are to engage in sin. In his book “Counter Culture,” David Platt writes, “We do not always choose our temptations. But we do choose our reactions to those temptations.” [1] Use the tips we discussed here so you can choose the right response when temptation comes your way.
Dig Deeper
1. In what area of your life are you dealing with temptation the most right now? Why do you think the temptation is so strong?
2. Which of the four tips we discussed would be the most helpful to focus on this season? What is one way you will put that into practice this week?
[1] Platt, David. “Counter Culture: Following Christ in an Anti-Christian Age.” Tyndale Elevate, 2017. Page 168.
