At the conclusion of his book, Tempted and Tried, Russell Moore offers this statement about the “benefits” of temptation:
I hope you recognize the satanic offers that come to you for self-directed provision or protection or exaltation. I hope you see how our Lord Jesus can intercede for you, how the Spirit can fight through you. But mostly I hope you see the point of it all. You cannot triumph over temptation. Only Jesus can.
What I often want is a surefire way to stop the temptation. I could get a lot more done with my life. What I’m really wanting is to set myself up as wiser than God. Somehow I believe that a life without temptation would be better and that I don’t need the tests he allows me to pass through in order to be ready for whatever is next. Come to think of it, that mind-set entails surrender to each of the temptations — to provide for my own needs, to protect myself from danger, to exalt myself as Lord.
Words of Grace 