There is a big difference between a temptation and a trial. A temptation is an enticement to sin. A trial is a test or an examination. So many people believe that God will never give us a trial that we cannot handle. They use this verse to prove it:
“No 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.” – 1 Corinthians
10:13
They substitute the word
trial or testing in the place of the word temptation. This is very misleading.
These misguided people share with new Christians their false belief, which
results in inexperienced Christians getting angry with God when their trials
get unbearable and the stress of life is about to kill them. This teaching
deceives many people. When their life falls apart around them, they decide that
God is incompetent and Christianity is a lie. Some even think that God does not
love them since they have so many hardships.
This verse actually reminds
us that God never allows us to be tempted more than we can stand. He always
provides a way of escape, so we will not fall into sin. We do not ever have to
sin. We always have a choice. The next time you are tempted to sin, remember
this verse and look for the way God provided for you to escape this situation.
God always gives us a way to escape if we will use it. God is always ready to
deliver us from temptation and from Satan’s deceit (Matthew
6:13).
On the other hand, God does
allow crushing circumstances in our life. He wants us to "give up"
and to cast all of our cares on Him. He wants us to completely surrender
everything in our life to Him, and to stop trying to live life in our own fleshly
efforts. He allows negative circumstances to happen so we will not rely on our
self, but on God (2 Corinthians 1:9).
He wants us to handle everything with prayer and then leave the results in His
capable hands to work out everything for our good (Romans
8:28), in His own timing and way.
God is also capable of
preventing His children from having trials and tribulation, and sometimes He
will (2 Peter 2:9). However, if He
chooses not to deliver us, He will always walk through the dark valley with us (Psalm
23:4). God always turns around the
negative aspects in our life for our ultimate good (Romans
8:29). As the three Hebrew children told
the King who wanted to throw them into the fiery furnace, “Our God is able to
deliver us; but even
if He does not, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you
have set up" (Daniel
3:17-18).
The
Lord states that we have no reason to fear. He created us, formed us and
redeemed us. He knows our name and we belong to Him. He even knows the number
of hairs upon our head (Luke 12:7; Matthew 10:30). When we go through deep
waters of tribulation, He will be with us. When we go through rivers of
difficulty, we will not drown. When we walk through the fire of oppression, we
will not be burned up, because the flames will not consume us (Isaiah
43:1-2). God
uses the tribulation in our life to increase our intimacy with Him, to build
Godly character in us, to strengthen our spirit and to weaken our flesh.
God’s children in Habakkuk’s
day saw plenty of trials and tribulation. The prophet summed it all up in these
words, “Even
though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even
though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty; yet I will
rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk
3: 17-18).
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, do not allow me
to believe every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14) that someone tells me. Cause me to imitate the
Bereans rather than those in Thessalonica by nobly searching the scriptures
every day to prove whether or not some doctrine is true (Acts
17:11). Never let me teach anyone
something false, but help me to confirm everything I believe and say by searching
Your Word for confirmation or correction (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 4:2). Thank You for delivering us from temptation and for
walking through our trials with us.
Thought for the Day:
God DOES give us more trials
and tribulation than WE can handle, but not more than HE can handle; so turn
everything over to Him.
