Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (James 1:13-14)
There are certain things in life that frustrate us, aggravate us, bring out the worst in us and torment us. Satan knows all these things. He uses them to take our focus off of God and plant seeds of doubt in our feeble human minds. He's very good at what he does.
Being tempted and being tested are not the same, nor do they come from the same being! God does not tempt us with evil, with what is wrong, with what is not "of God". He does not lurk in the shadows thinking up ways to "test" our faith by "temptations" for that which he clearly has told us is unholy. The enemy wants us all - every last one of us! God wants us all as well, and has gone to great lengths to show us the love he has for us.
Our faith is tested through our temptations. When we know (completely and honestly know) that we are in the will of God, those temptations only have as much power as we allow them to have. We have access to a greater power than that which brings on the empty offerings. Sometimes we don't see it right away and sometimes we see it long before it even comes to us - being able to spot the enemy before he reaches you is how battles are won! Any great military force in history was successful because of their ability to strategize. Know what's coming and plan in accordance!
When my daughter tells me that her life resembles a vacuum cleaner hard at work, I offer her, first, the suggestion to put her trust in God. I can see her eyes rolling through the phone and I even tell her that. I have to suggest God to her first, because he is first! I temper every word with love, offer her advice and remind her of her location (in life, not geographically). And with her, my advice is always the same - get on the right path and start YOUR life, not someone else's. Don't look for the sky to open up and have all the earthly treasures fall on you - it's not going to happen! In the years when she should have been figuring out what she was supposed to do with the rest of her life, she was too busy trying to fix something she didn't break and perform the duties that belonged to BOTH of her parents! Satan ran ramped through our house! When I look back on it, had we both been sucked into the fiery pit, we would have been deserving of it! There was no "God" in our house. There were lusts for money, there was greed, there was selfishness and self-centeredness, there were words of hate and anger shouted at everyone and by everyone who lived there - there was no unity and there definitely was no love. Going to "church" was a punishment both for those being dragged there kicking and screaming and the one doing the dragging. My children learned to hate God, not love him, because of the corrupt family values they were subjected to.
I am very thankful that I serve a compassionate and forgiving God! His love has changed me! I am not, nor do I ever want to be again, the person who lived in that house. My prayer every day is that my children and my ex-husband will allow God to change them the way he has changed me! My "skeptical" ex-husband thinks of me as "the church lady" and I'm sure is waiting for the "real" me to emerge...this IS the real me! The "me" God intended for me to be when he created me. I am a Princess ~ I'm the daughter of the KING! It would stand to reason that in a perfect world, I would be married to a "Prince" and that my children would also be "royalty" ~ they have only to ask and God will give them their crowns!
When we are tempted, when the enemy is trying his best to tear down what God has built up - be still...because HIS love for you will ALWAYS show you the way! Walk by the faith he's given you! Pray - he has great plans for you and yours! I don't know of any other King who'd put himself in harm's way for his servants...
