When next you are tempted
In the book of St. Matthew chapter 26, there are ten verses which give an account of Jesus’ tormenting experience in the garden, verses 36 to 46. Jesus was going through a very difficult time in his life. In a similar way we all go through difficult times in our lives and at times feel like we are at our wits end. The common ground between Jesus’ struggle and ours is that, we expect those who are close and dear to us to support us when we are having problems. We expect them to offer words of encouragement and pray for our deliverance. We expect them to watch with us and quite rightly so.
In the book I am currently writing I talk about the beauty of endurance we discover after we have endured our times of hardship; when we have battled long and hard with life and come out victorious.
In Matthew’s account of Jesus praying in the garden, we are told that Jesus took three of his closes disciples and requested of them to watch with him. He left them and went away to pray saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” The pressure and agony made Jesus very sorrowful and deeply distressed. He needed support, help and a shoulder to lean on. The human part of Christ was sorrowful even unto death.
I would like to direct your focus to Jesus’ comments after he came back and found his disciples asleep. Look at what happened as soon as he came back and found his disciples sleeping:
“…What! Could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” – Matt. 26: 40 - 41
My question is this, is it that we fall into temptation because we fail to watch and pray?
As I reflect on it, of a truth the instances where I have yielded to temptation are those instances when I wanted to. I Desired to possessed and have. Furthermore, the usual disciplines and principles I would follow in my Christian walk were altered to satisfy my own selfish desires and so I ended up giving in to the temptation. In essence I fail to watch and pray like Jesus advised me to.
Being watchful and prayerful is a part of the spiritual disciplines we who have decided to live for Jesus must adhere to.
In bringing our body under subjection so that we me may empower our spirit and be empowered of the Holy Spirit, is a desire which should supersede all other desires. Someone once said that a man will know just how honest he is when he is tempted to steal.
In the book I am currently writing I talk about the beauty of endurance we discover after we have endured our times of hardship; when we have battled long and hard with life and come out victorious.
In Matthew’s account of Jesus praying in the garden, we are told that Jesus took three of his closes disciples and requested of them to watch with him. He left them and went away to pray saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” The pressure and agony made Jesus very sorrowful and deeply distressed. He needed support, help and a shoulder to lean on. The human part of Christ was sorrowful even unto death.
I would like to direct your focus to Jesus’ comments after he came back and found his disciples asleep. Look at what happened as soon as he came back and found his disciples sleeping:
“…What! Could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” – Matt. 26: 40 - 41
My question is this, is it that we fall into temptation because we fail to watch and pray?
As I reflect on it, of a truth the instances where I have yielded to temptation are those instances when I wanted to. I Desired to possessed and have. Furthermore, the usual disciplines and principles I would follow in my Christian walk were altered to satisfy my own selfish desires and so I ended up giving in to the temptation. In essence I fail to watch and pray like Jesus advised me to.
Being watchful and prayerful is a part of the spiritual disciplines we who have decided to live for Jesus must adhere to.
In bringing our body under subjection so that we me may empower our spirit and be empowered of the Holy Spirit, is a desire which should supersede all other desires. Someone once said that a man will know just how honest he is when he is tempted to steal.
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