The NIV 365 Day Devotional
Unavoidable Temptations
Bring up this topic the next time you’re with a bunch of buddies: “If God knows that something will tempt you, and he also knows you’ll give in to the temptation, why doesn’t he keep you from it?”
As you ponder that question for yourself, you might also wonder why God per mitted Satan to tempt Jesus. The devil’s attack came at three different levels. First, Satan went after an immediate, felt need: Jesus’ hunger. Then the devil shifted to a deeper question—would God really protect Jesus? Finally, Satan tempted Jesus with the ultimate issue of authority.
Jesus countered each assault with God’s Word. He didn’t argue; he answered. Even when Satan tried to attack him by misquoting Scripture, Jesus exposed the misrepresentation with a biblical response.
How Jesus responded can help us deal with temptations. But this doesn’t answer our questions about why temptations come. Doesn’t God care? Why does God even allow us to go places where we’ll experience temptation? Again, God’s Word provides the answer: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
In other words, God does keep us from countless temptations “beyond what [we] can bear.” What’s more, God always provides the resources we need to overcome the temptations we face. We need only to choose whether we’ll try to handle temptations on our own, or rely on God’s help and his Word to guide us through temptations as we develop wisdom, maturity and endurance.
Taken from the NIV Men’s Devotional Bible.