In my previous post I began to share a few ideas that surfaced as I spoke with a friend about his life situation. I’d like to continue sharing some of what I learned that day during our conversation. As the conversation proceeded, one of the insights God seemed to be revealing in the moment was that our feelings and emotions carry with them a possible temptation. The Biblical word for temptation includes the idea of testing something or someone. In the secular sense that can be testing or proving something’s value or strength. In the religious sense it often refers to the attraction to behaviors that are contrary to the will of God. The hope is that we will not fail the test and instead show an increasing strength drawn from the Lord.
I find that when my emotions and feelings arise, acknowledged or not, they can present a possible temptation to respond in a way which is contrary to God’s will. Therefore, as much as I want to be aware of the emotion and feeling I am experiencing, I want to, as well, be aware of the potential temptation that follows that particular emotion or feeling. It is that temptation which presents a choice to either give way to responses that might be less than God honoring or to resist those temptations and seek out the response that best honors the name, character and person of God. It is a further place of inner awareness, which can assist in the process of transformation.
The way we best address this temptation is as Jesus did in the wilderness, to meditate upon and respond with the Word of God. As we listen for that other voice in the Scripture, the voice of the one who is love and loves us unconditionally, we are further shaped into His likeness, both in character and response. It is His powerful address and authority we need in those moments and not our best words, thoughts, or answers.
As our conversation finally concluded, both of us, in regard to our circumstances, had to acknowledge not only the feelings experienced but also the potential temptation that followed. Our challenge then was to surrender our responses to God’s perfect love.
As you consider these next days my encouragement to you is to acknowledge the various feeling and emotions you are experiencing and the potential temptation that follows. It is in that place where greater surrender can be practiced and the work of transformation can have even deeper impact. May the Lord bless you as you journey with Him.
