Exit Strategies

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.  God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.  1 Corinthians 10:13

In the Greek, there is just one word for temptation and trial.  They can be used interchangeably here.  A trial would be an adverse situation allowed by God to transform your character.  A temptation is the desire to do something sinful, or evil.  James 1:13-15 tells us that God does not tempt us with evil, but temptation comes from our own fleshly desires.

You might feel that you are the only one to go through the struggle that you are wrestling with.  But the words, “common to man” means that we all go through the same sort of temptations.  Satan may want you to think that you are the only person dealing with being single, or with a difficult husband, or the only one with a difficult childhood.  Then he may use that line of reasoning to draw you into a victim mindset, which could sound like this: “I did it because of my difficult past.  Who wouldn’t be bitter (or whatever)?”

Don’t buy it!  You are not the only one.  You must take responsibility for the choice you are making.  You can’t blame it on anyone or anything else.   Another bait of Satan is to convince you that you had no other choice but to sin.  “I had to steal to feed my children.  We were out of money.”  Or, “I had to punch that person.  He hit me first.  I was only defending myself.”  God is faithful.  He will give you an exit strategy.  Look and pray for a way out and then take it.

God protects us because we belong to Him.  That means that He knows how much we can handle and won’t put us into situations that are beyond our ability to stand.  So we can’t say, “It was too difficult to withstand.  I had to do it.”

With practice, you can develop exit strategies for your sin triggers.  That means you need to  honestly examine your own heart and life.  Ask yourself where you have been the most prone to sin, and what makes you weak and vulnerable.  If you know that being with certain people triggers a rebellious attitude, don’t hang with those people anymore.  If you know that not getting enough sleep makes you short tempered and prone to taking short cuts, then guard your sleep.  

Remind yourself that God has His eyes on you, that He is there to help, and that He will provide a way of escape.  God won’t give you more than you can handle and He is there to send aid, encouragement, and forgiveness.  

(picture from empresa-journal.com)