1 Corinthians 10:13: Freedom from temptations…And you are worthy

The 13^th verse of the 10th chapter in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians states in no uncertain terms, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. (1 Corinthians 10:13, NLT).

I’ve thought about this verse on several occasions, as I’ve spent time struggling through my addiction to porn. A few instances come to mind where I actually had my phone open to the YouVersion Bible app. I was going through a devotional, and yet found myself swiping to close the app because an urge suddenly hit me, and porn was more comfortable than diving into the scripture I had staring me in the face. I’ve talked through this with my recovery and step study groups. I’ve carried so much shame just thinking about the fact that I had THE tool for combating such a vile enemy, and yet I tossed it away, as if it were useless to me. I have been pushed back again and again, into the darkness of this debilitating disease, because I have allowed the liar’s tongue to permeate my ear drum, and borough its way deep into my head and heart. I hear him saying you’re not worthy enough for a good, Godly woman, so stop trying to be. Just look at these women. You can look at them without guilt, because you can dehumanize them. It’s fine to do this because they’re on your level. They are simply an object of desire. Stay here; stay where you are comfortable, and with what you know. Don’t go back to the safety of the circle God has drawn around you. The path back there is fraught with peril. You don’t want that. God won’t help you with that. He’s done with you.

I should explain the last statement, and I can do so better with an illustration (below) from one of my mentors, and life group leader. He gave this illustration a few months ago, and it’s resonated with me.

Picture yourself in the circle of God’s truth for you. There are two important truths to remember. 1) You are a child of God. 2) You have grace and God has grace for you.  Satan’s (the great deceiver, the liar…) lie pulls you further away from that truth. His lie says “Well you already failed, so what’s the point in trying to go back to the right path? You’re not worthy of walking that path anyway, so just stop trying. Come this way.” We often reach this place in the midst of our brokenness. The deceiver will either use that brokenness and attack head on, or he will do so through subterfuge. If he cannot easily attack us from the front, he will tell us lies and poke at us in another vulnerable area. I went through this recently, as I was approaching 60 days sober from pornography. I was guarded in that, so he attacked from behind, whispering horrible lies and filling my mind and heart with a feeling of not being enough; not being good enough or worthy enough for the very group of friends who had been such a boon to me and to my recovery. He attacked me there so I would let down my guard in this area which I had become so strong and guarded in. For nearly a week (and weekend), I was distraught to say the least. I believed his lie that those I had come to know as close friends, and come to do life with no longer thought me worth their time. They saw through me. They saw who I really was. They finally saw that I was a miserable loser and sinner; merely posing as a Christ Follower, and they were done with me. These were his lies, not God’s truth.

You see, the great deceiver has a real knack for creating distractions for us, while he deftly creeps up behind us and plunges the blade of his lies ever so precisely into the weakest part of us. Like a sharp shooter with unmatched precision, he is able to strike with pinpoint accuracy to maximum affect maximum damage. Once he has that blade in us, the venomous poison from the razor-sharp tip can course its way through our mind, heart and soul. Once that venom starts to take hold, he has us. The deceiver can take us over like a master puppeteer, and move us to his dark and sinister will. He can bring us to cause enormous hurt and pain, both in our lives and the lives of those around us; those closest to us. He can lead us down a path of belief that we are not worthy, and bring us to push away and even harm those who are trying to open our eyes to God’s truth about us. But he can only affect us if we allow ourselves to believe his lie. The moment we awaken from the nightmare he has wrought in us, is the moment his power is weighed, measured and found wanting. When we realize that God has been there every step of the way, and that He is simply waiting for us to give it over to Him, the venom is purged and the blade wound is healed. There may be a scar—a fracture—but that scar is what makes us beautiful to God. That scar is there as reminder of His healing; a reminder that the perceived insurmountable power of the deceiver can be washed away with a simple whisper; a still small voice. When we give in and give over to God the lie that is keeping us from His truth, our surrender is like a small pebble thrown atop a boulder, that starts an avalanche. God’s still small voice is the boulder and His power is the avalanche. When His voice is brought to bear, an unstoppable force is set into motion, and try as he might, there is nothing the deceiver can do to withstand the avalanche that’s bearing down on him. There is no escape; no height he can climb or depth he can slink into that God’s power can’t reach. The deceiver will fall.

As a friend recently mentioned in her sermon, it only takes faith the size of a mustard seed to move a mountain. It only takes putting that faith in God, and asking him to whisper against the screaming in your mind, body and soul. Then all you have to do is sit back and marvel at what God’s still small voice can do against all the screaming and shouting from the deceiver and his armies. During the darkness I was facing, God reminded me that I had friends—warriors—who were standing with me. They were in the trenches with me, they were praying for me, and they were fighting for me. I was able to withstand the screaming, the lies and the wound, because of the community of believers God has placed all around me. As I write this, I sit on day 90 sober. I say this so that it’s understood that God’s love, mustard seed-sized faith, and the community I believed had abandoned me never once failed me in my fight. All these are still fighting for me, and God is using all of them to work to my benefit, and to protect me from the lies of the deceiver. We will face trials and tribulation. Belief in God, and surrender to Him does not mean that life is suddenly going to constantly come up rainbows and butterflies. Rather belief and trust in God will bring you through the trials and tribulations you face. His love will bring you joy in your struggles, healing in your pain, and peace in the darkest hours of your life. He has promised that He will provide a way out whenever you struggle and are tempted. It’s up to you to ask it of Him, see it and take it.

I close with this: The greatest among us in Biblical history struggled with temptation and sin. God’s favored fell short, and sinned against him. They gave into temptation and struggled with their own guilt and shame. Their faith wavered and they even denied knowing Him (Peter). And yet God’s love never failed them. God built his church on those who had fallen short, and struggled with temptation. He forgave them over and over again, and was with them even in the throes of their darkest sin and biggest falls. David was God’s chosen. The man from whose line Jesus would come. David was a man after God’s own heart. David also committed adultery and murder in one moment of lust and covetous sin. But God favored him none-the-less. This is illustrated throughout the Psalms, and is one of the great reminders that God loves us even in what we perceive to be such great failings that we would lose His love forever. Never forget that He is always willing and ready to forgive freely all of our sins; especially those we deem too vile for Him to forgive. We are all worthy because we believe. Because He has made us worthy.

Find community, open your hearts to others, and be willing to be truly and fully vulnerable and transparent as you walk in faith. You’ll be amazed at how quickly other believers will accept you and love you. If you struggle with believing you are good or worthy enough–in faith, in intelligence, or wherever you feel inadequate–to walk with those God has placed in your life, just remember, He placed them in yours and you in theirs. Open your heart to them; wear it on your sleeve; be you, because you are who God loves and who they love.  Never forget that you, not in spite of, but because of all your sin and brokenness are worthy!