- Suddenly your co-workers break out the Krispy Creme doughnuts and Starbucks coffee every morning!
- Your spouse spontaneously decides to take you out to lunch or a special dinner just because...
- As you drive, every billboard is an advertisement of delicious, tempting treats
- You receive an invitation to an event: wedding, birthday, family reunion, etc..
- Oh yes, let's not forget the temptation to "lick" our fingers if we are handling or preparing food for others!!
These occurrences were never an issue before. Why now?
ANSWER: Because you entered into a commitment.
Think about it. What happens when you commit to join a gym? What happens when you commit to eating healthy? What happens when you commit to a project/hobby or ministry? What happens when you commit to breaking a bad "habit"?
The enemy hates any commitments we enter that aligns us to God's word. His greatest hatred was our commitment to Jesus when we accepted Him as LORD and Savior. Since then he has made it his purpose to tempt us into unfaithfulness towards Him. But he does not stop there. He has also purposed to tempt us into unfaithfulness towards our spouse.
The enemy wars against the covenant/commitment of marriage. The moment you vowed to be true in good times and in bad; to love and honor for better or worse, for richer, and for poorer; in sickness and in health until death do us part - temptations are set before you each day to break that covenant between you, your spouse and God.
The temptations are magnified even the more when you are most vulnerable. What are some vulnerable moments? When ....
...you and your spouse fight and enter into a cold war where the greatest weapon is the silent treatment.
...you feel lonely - whether spouse is present or out of town for business or ministry
...you are unfulfilled and discouraged - the grass on the other side looks greener
All of a sudden you receive promotional emails from "Christian" dating sites. When you surf the web, pop-ups of seductive images and invitations appear. An old flame happens to reconnect with you on Facebook. A co-worker/friend (opposite sex) that you confide in about your marital problems shows a sudden interest or vice versa.
Let's face it, temptations surrounds us regardless and there are moments when our flesh wants to give into them even the more because we are not receiving what we want or need in our marriage. The good news is that we don't have to because God promises to give us a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13) The key is asking God for the "way" and choosing to do what is needed to escape from it.
As a Christian married woman and military wife, I have had many vulnerable moments as I shared above. What has kept me from temptation IS my relationship with the LORD. I fear hurting Him by sinning. Yes, I love my husband and wouldn't want to hurt him either but when you are angry, hurt, lonely, dissatisfied and discouraged that love seems to take a back seat. Therefore, I cannot afford to put my trust in the "love" I have for my husband but rather on God to give me the way of escape.
I am just keeping it real. Without my commitment to God, I am unable to commit to anything. I can't trust on my own strength or ability but I surely CAN trust in God's and so can you!
Because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world (enemy) - we are ABLE to love, honor, respect and be true to our spouses in sickness and health; richer or poorer; through the good, the bad and the ugly unto death do us part.
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ~ James 4:7 NLT
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