The Greatest Temptation

The greatest vulnerability to temptation is not hunger or fatigue -- but pain and suffering.  For when you suffer you're vulnerable to the greatest temptation: the temptation to doubt the trustworthiness of God.

For many of us believe that God is not really God -- God is not trustworthy -- unless God rescues us from the calamity, suffering and pain of life.  Satan infers this in a classic temptation tale, the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11).  Why Satan cleverly quotes Psalm 91:11-12 (out of context) suggesting that God will save us from harm:  "[God] will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up on their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone..."  (Psalm 91:11-12).  Or in the fresh rendering of The Message -- [God] ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go.  If you stumble -- they'll catch you -- their job is to keep you from falling..."  (Psalm 91:11-12, The Message).

But we do stumble; we do fall.  But does this warrant the belief that God has forsaken or failed us? Scripture says: no.   Biblically -- God doesn't fail us in our pain -- God reveals us in our pain.  Translated:  God's character is not 'on trial' when we suffer -- our character is 'on trial' when we suffer.

There's a great story about a pastor who was pounding away with a hammer, as he built a large outdoor, wooden deck.  As he did, a little boy came by and just kept staring and staring and staring. Well the pastor assumed the little boy would 'take off' in due time -- but the little boy kept staring and staring and staring.   Well after about an hour, the pastor stopped his pounding and questioned the kid.  "Son" the pastor asked.  "Are you trying to 'pick up' some pointers on carpentry?"  "Nope" -- the little boy replied.  "I'm just waiting to hear what a preacher says, when he hits his thumb with a hammer??  

Guess what:  God is waiting to hear what we say -- too -- when we're in pain, when we're suffering.  Will we curse God -- or still trust God -- nevertheless.

   

If ever there was someone who had a reason to curse god, it was the Old Testament character Job.  Why as the book of Job opens, Job is about to loose everything:  children, property, wealth, his good name, and even his good health (Job 1:6-12).  Well Satan sneers in the face of God, bragging that Job will not just be tempted to curse God -- Job will curse God (Job 2:4+5). But amazingly Job never curses God. I mean Job's own wife recommends:  'curse God and die" (Job 2:9-10).  

But Job doesn't curse God.  Now to be perfectly candid:  Job does get agitated with God and deeply depressed -- declaring at one point:  "My spirit is broken, my days are cut short, the grave awaits me."  (Job 17:1).  But Job does not act on the temptation 'to end it all,' and forsake God.  Rather Job preservers.  Through unspeakable suffering -- Job preserves -- declaring at the end of the book of Job:  "I know...[O Lord] [you] can do all things -- no purpose of yours can be thwarted..."  (Job 42:2).  

Frankly -- finding God 'faithful in pain' is a process - often a long process.  But in the end -- no matter the suffering -- we discover that the Lord can do all things -- that no purpose of God's can be thwarted.  

But please note:  such discovery hinges on a radical readjustment of thinking -- as we learn in the words of Tim Keller -- to "...love God for himself alone -- [and] not -- for the benefits he brings..."  - Tim Keller.   Translated:  you ultimately trust God -- not because of the wonderful things God does for you -- but because -- of the wonderful character he demonstrates to you -- a wonderful presence/demeanor that's always there for you:  sustaining you -- holding you -- even when life is not wonderful.

And so, not surprisingly, the ultimate antidote for temptation is worship of God and God alone.   I mean at the close of the Jesus' temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11),  Satan 'pulls out all the stops' -- offering Jesus the whole world, "...all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor...[if Jesus will]...bow down and worship [Satan]..."  (Matthew 4:9).  But Jesus doesn't 'take the bait.'  Rather Jesus 'pushes' Satan away, declaring:  "...worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only..."  (Matthew 4:10).

Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only!  Resist the greatest temptation -- the temptation to forsake God -- when 'life heads south' - and 'life gets tough.'   

Friends:  'life will head south.'  Life will get tough.  But God can be trusted -- nevertheless.  For "I know...[O Lord] -- [you] can do -- all things..."  (Job 42:2)