Fighting Temptations
This is one of those stories I can never forget. It feels like something you would only hear about or watch in a Hollywood film. Fighting temptations leaves us all feeling disappointed when we get defeated. Have you ever felt completely stranded, and alone with no help?
It was a great day when I set out on a motorcycle adventure toward the big city. The air was crisp, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. I left my house in the mid-afternoon with nothing too serious on my mind other than enjoying the day and making a few stops along the way.
My first mistake was assuming I had enough gas in the tank to make it to my favorite gas station 25 miles ahead. Maybe it was out of habit, since I always tried to get the cheapest gas at that one spot. Or maybe it was out of the habit of always assuming my tank held enough gas for 100 miles, with another 50 miles’ worth in the reserve tank. Either way, this short trip turned into a real adventure.
I was past the midpoint to my gas station when all of a sudden I felt the bike stuttering for gas. While still cruising, I reached under the tank to turn on the reserve tank. This time, though, it was already turned on, and I realized something was wrong. This particular bike didn’t have a gas gauge, so I had to use my trip meter with every fill-up to know where I stood.
“God blesses those who Patiently Endure TESTING and TEMPTATION. Afterward they will receive the CROWN OF LIFE that God has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12
In that brief moment of idling down the straight road, I remembered that they were doing construction on the gas station just past the tree line, within 50 meters of me. I held my head up, hoping it had reopened, but I was quickly dismayed because it hadn’t. Nonetheless, I pulled into the gas station and parked my bike in that deserted place. I said a quick prayer with no special words, simply asking God to help me, knowing that He’s perfectly able.
Sinful Temptations Are Hard to Fight
I chose to pray instead of getting angry at my situation. By no means am I perfect, and I haven’t passed every test, but God is a loving God! If you fail the test, that’s fine, but I can assure you that you’ll take it again until you pass!
Before my trip, I had even strapped on a gas can that I planned to fill up and leave at the house. I rarely used gas cans, but at this point I was thankful I at least had one so I didn’t have to buy another. After fiddling with the reserve switch, which was clearly turned on, I began to unstrap the gas can. Before I finished, I looked up.
Right in front of me, a limo had pulled up, and the driver rolled down his window. In that instant, he started asking me for directions, and without hesitation I said, “I’ll give you directions if you give me a ride to the gas station.” The driver agreed to take me to the gas station and told me to get in the back of his stretch limo.
My prayer was answered in less than 5 minutes. I’m thankful I didn’t ask God to help me in a certain way, only that He would help, because I’ve never heard of a limousine picking somebody up on the side of the road!
Fighting Temptations to Murmur
In life, we make mistakes, or other people make them for us, but in our time of need, help is only a prayer away. In my situation, I didn’t have a phone, and the limo driver didn’t have a GPS. Even so, it turned into an amazing story of hope that gives God glory when people hear it. At the time, I was in a small town called Dawsonville, GA, where you hardly ever see limos. This was God proving Himself once again.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
No matter how stranded you may feel, or how helpless your situation seems, there is always hope. Even when it seems your hope has failed, the area around you looks abandoned, and there is no fuel to keep you going, don’t give up. The answer probably isn’t what you’re expecting, or maybe it’s not how you want your help to arrive, but trust that God is in control of everything. Nothing is out of His reach.
I would go so far as to say that if you lost a job, it’s because God allowed it, and if you lost a loved one, it is still because God allowed it to happen. The world doesn’t revolve around you or me, but around Jesus Christ.
For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16
In spite of all that life may bring you, pray, hope, and trust that God is on your side…
I wish I could tell you there was a secret formula for how God works and why He sometimes allows bad things to happen to good people, but I can’t. Nor can we manipulate God into giving us what we want all the time. It’s not about our will, but His. I had nothing to do with how this happened. It is my most personal miracle, and it made me feel proud to have a Father above who treats me like royalty.
“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many TRIALS for a little while. These TRIALS will show that your Faith is Genuine. It is being TESTED as fire TESTS and purifies gold—though your Faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your Faith remains strong through MANY TRIALS, it will bring you much Praise and Glory and Honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the Whole World.” 1 Peter 1:6-7
“Let no one say when he is Tempted, “I am Tempted by God”; for God cannot be Tempted by Evil, nor does He Himself Tempt anyone. But each one is Tempted when he is drawn away by his own Desires and Enticed. Then, when Desire has Conceived, it gives Birth to Sin; and Sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth Death. Do Not be Deceived, my beloved brethren.” James 1:13-16
God bless!