Temptation is a lure to surrender to the life Satan wants for us, a life in diametrical opposition to the one God desires. Every time we resist temptation, we grow in the likeness of Jesus; every time we give in, we align ourselves with the serpent.
How could Eve have resisted the temptation to sin?
The serpent tempted Eve by first nudging her to doubt God’s Word, then leading her to doubt His goodness. He misrepresented God as selfish and insecure. As Eve listened to the serpent’s lies, she lost sight of everything God had abundantly given her and focused instead on the one thing that was forbidden.
It is so easy to crave what God has withheld. As a Christian author, the elusive identity of being a “best-seller” was a yearning in my heart for many years. I had a strong desire to establish my writing as a formidable income stream, yet God chose a different path for me. Instead, He provided other businesses that have sustained my life. As I grow in my faith, I remain deeply grateful for those enterprises.
Am I successful? Yes, extremely so but I’ve realized that success is an arduous journey up a mountain. It is a marathon, not a sprint. With each stride, I find I value the journey more than I would have valued a quick race to the top.
The friends who bought my books when I was entirely unknown are cherished in my heart. The solitude of being “unknown” has gifted me the silence I crave for my creativity. I have learned to focus with gratitude on the aspects of my life that lead me to a peaceful collaboration with my Creator, rather than fixating on the “forbidden fruit” of worldly status.
Is there a “forbidden tree” in your life right now,something God has withheld that is distracting you from the garden of blessings He has already provided?