Driving and thinking

Psalm 119:11
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.

I was riding down the road tonight and all of the sudden a verse just popped into my head. Here it is:

1 Corinthians 10:12-14

12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And 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.

14Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.

There are so many ways to unpack this verse but I am going to keep it simple.
1. As believers in Christ the enemy and our flesh want to destroy us. We are capable of any sin and if we think we aren't we must take heed to the verse that pride comes before the fall.

I know first hand what it is like to judge someone harshly and then fall into that same sin that I was casting a stone at them for.

2. God does not tempt us! He doesn't tempt anyone to sin. However, when we are tempted it will not be beyond what we can bear and God will provide a way out so that we can take it. One of the most thrown around phrases is "God won't give you anything more than you can bear." It drives me crazy because I know that I have had trials in my life that I could not bear without Him. That verse is so taken out of context...the word is saying we won't face a temptation that He won't provide us a way out for us to take.

3. Why flee from idolatry in verse 14? Because anything that takes the place of God in our life, anything that we bow down to is in essence the worship of this world, and the prince of this world, Satan. He tempted Christ and he is sure in the business of tempting us. So we are to run from anything that exalts itself, or is taking the place of God. We must not harden our hearts when we hear His voice telling us this is the way walk in it. When we harden our hearts we lose the power to obey.

So, I was like Lord what in the world? Why did that verse just pop up...am I about to be tempted with something? Guess what (for reasons personal to me I want to be vague so you can apply it to yourself) just around the corner was a temptation. Temptation is anything that is bait for us. Anything that seeks to ensnare us, destroy our testimony, and pull us away from the God we love. I know first hand what it is to give in to temptation and I am sure you do to. I am so thankful for the grace of our God.

I am so thankful for the words that I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against Him. However, it is not enough for me to know His word, I have to obey it. I have learned the hard way that obedience is best.

I was able to take the way of escape. I was faced with the temptation and I had a fork in the road at that moment. I could go one way or the other and I chose by the power of the Holy Spirit to run down the road of escape. Then, I pumped my fist to my Great God and said YES! I obeyed! You don't know what that means to me. There have been times in my past where I thought I was never going to be able to say no to my flesh. So, I rejoice at the times you and I choose the way of peace for our souls.

**Swim lessons went great! Morgan is so darn independent she didn't want me trying to help her at all.