Temptation and trials in our lives

We come face to face with temptation every day in our lives and most people tend to wonder if it is ever possible to live a life without temptation in our lives, and if it can be totally eradicated from our lives. Life poses a lot of challenges; it has its own struggles, trials as […]

We come face to face with temptation every day in our lives and most people tend to wonder if it is ever possible to live a life without temptation in our lives, and if it can be totally eradicated from our lives.

Life poses a lot of challenges; it has its own struggles, trials as well as temptations. Temptation comes in all forms in our lives, experiencing it is not a sin but learning not to overcome it is the greatest sin.

No one is above temptation and so no one should see himself or herself as above temptation because even if you have the most humble attitude, there is still a weakness in us that can always us susceptible to temptation.  Victory can be said to have been achieved if you can overcome the various temptations that life throws at you.

Throughout life we are encompassed by temptation, so there is no time when we are not obliged to choose between a lesser and a greater good. As we meet and overcome each temptation in life we are strengthened. Each temptation put under foot brings with it the ability to meet and overcome greater and tougher things. Temptation is rooted in selfishness and there is no temptation apart from it.

 Temptations which expose our human imperfections are certainly among the most trying hardships we can endure. To struggle courageously against temptation is one of the most meritorious acts we can perform; and once we have triumphed with the help of our Almighty and sincere minds, we can equally do it over and over again no matter the circumstances that come with the temptation at that particular time or moment in our lives. This is not to say that temptation comes and goes very ease, it comes with its price and can take you to the deepest and most devastating level in life, but if you are disciplined and courageous, then you will definitely overcome it.

The most common temptations in our lives manifest themselves not in the form of ugly demons, but under the aspect of attractive shortcuts and things we enjoy doing. Temptations come in the form of easy money, easy dignity, easy getting away with things and easy power, among other things. Nevertheless, we will always encounter temptation. We must be prepared and ready to deal with it whenever it comes or creeps into our lives.

Despite our effort to eradicate sin from our lives, we must expect temptations in one form or the other. We must realise that temptations do not come directly from the Almighty himself, rather he allows us to be tempted by enemies, friends and even our desires, yet even at the same time giving us the grace and strong will to be able to resist whatever form it so presents itself to us.

 An entirely different phase of temptation is the one which comes to a man in the desire to be praised by men, and here the perversion of his highest development often occurs in order to gratify the vanity of the mind. Pride, envy and jealousy are among the enemies to be met and conquered. Temptation is the proving ground of life. It demonstrates either that we have certain weaknesses; in the real sense of it temptation is a test in our lives that we either pass or fail.

Temptation is actually very helpful to us in a way as it sometimes provide room for improvement. If we yield to temptation, it is in a way showing us, through these circumstances, that we have certain weaknesses which should be addressed.

We have a tendency to continue in bad habits in a given area of our lives once we have fallen prey to temptation. This process often begins rather innocuously, or so it would seem, but as time goes on, we literally become enslaved to it unless we takehold of our lives, otherwise; things generally go from bad to worse, until many different aspects of our lives crumble like a pack of cards.

Given that temptation is inevitable, prayer will provide the wisdom to recognize it and the strength necessary to resist it when it comes. So are you willing to face temptations that come along or you are just allow it to control your life? The decision is yours though!