Common Temptations and Christ’s Uncommon Grace

May 17, 2011 by desiringvirtue

I had just prepared lunch for my two angelic babes. Their plates/high chair trays were boasting the most glorious golden brown grilled cheese sandwiches this side of the nearest Sonic. To top it off they each had some healthy chicken and vegetable soup to explore and consume! I was feeling good about the feast I was about to offer them and the excellent mommy I was for making sure their meals were “well rounded”.

Then the time came for us to sit down and enjoy the fruit of my labor… and neither child had any intention of eating their gourmet grilled cheese or Campbell’s chunky chicken and vegetable soup. Apparently they had both decided that today they didn’t care for such time tested classics. The grilled cheese my son usually devours was now being bitten into and spit back out. His soup was becoming a mucky bowl of duck food; sopping bread absorbing the yummy broth. His younger brother chose not to engage at all, but instead let his feelings be known through that terribly sad cry that eats at my bones and crawls up my back… generally keeping me from enjoying my gourmet grilled cheese sandwich.

As my older son took one last “bite” and proceeded to once again spit it out I could feel it coming, that urge, that desire, that anger.

And then the Holy Spirit breathing inside me spoke oh so clearly the encouragment my soul needed:

“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 ESV)

My mind laughed as it thought of the countless mothers I have watched go through the same exact situation with their young children. Surely every mother has experienced the aggravation of a child refusing to eat. Surely they too have felt the temptation to anger just as I was in that very moment.

Yes, this was a common temptation.

In these situations, the all too familiar, flesh burning situations that so naturally lead to sin it is easy to break and give in. It is so easy to not see a way of escape, to only see the anger or the hurt or the frustration.

But I have an uncommon grace.

I have the grace of God in my life that gives me the power to overcome the temptation and endure it. I have a multitude of grace stored up for me, ready to use if I will just access it in these times. I can choose to fight the battle against the flesh and I can be victorious. My spirit has been freed from helpless compliance to sin and given the ability to walk in the light even as He is in the light through the power of the cross! All I have to do is choose to obey by stepping out of the easy rut of sin and onto the path of righteousness with my Savior. It takes way more power to walk with him, but that power was purchased for me through his heroic death and resurrection. It is his power that will give me victory and he offers it freely.

So what are you struggling with today? What is your “grilled cheese” moment? It might be between you and your husband, you and your job, you and your grocery store… no matter what the temptation is the Bible assures us that it is very common and easily overcome with Christ’s uncommon grace. Let’s access that grace and choose to overcome for his glory and our good!

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” (2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV)

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