Angela twisted her hands in her lap and stared out the passenger window as they pulled into the church parking lot. Jennifer glanced at her after she pulled the car into a space. “Will you calm down? There’s nothing to be nervous about.”
Angela unwound her fingers. “That’s easy for you to say. You know these ladies. I hate talking about personal stuff with people I don’t know.”
Jennifer’s gaze was kind. “I know. But I promise they’ll make you feel comfortable. Michelle is an amazing small-group leader. And God put it on my heart that you needed to come tonight. So get yourself out of that seat and come see what God has planned for you.”
Angela followed Jennifer into the church building, drawing in a deep breath. Jennifer was right. She had been struggling lately, and maybe this was what she needed. If only she didn’t have to talk to strangers. She sent up a silent prayer to calm her nerves. A moment later, Jennifer led her into a cozy room, complete with sofas and a coffee table. This was not at all like the classroom she was expecting. Three other women sat around the coffee table, mugs in hand. At their approach, the other women rose, hugged Jennifer, and introduced themselves to her. Michelle brought her a cup of tea, Lisa invited her to sit with her, and Heather hugged her, even though they’d just met.
Jennifer was right. What a lovely group of ladies. As they settled onto the sofas, Michelle called the Bible study to order with a prayer.
“Heavenly Father, Thank You so much for each woman here tonight. You’ve placed on my heart the subject of temptation tonight. We all struggle with it, in some form or another. Please help us learn from Your word and from one another and help us build one another up. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Amens echoed around the room and Michelle opened her Bible. “So, as you heard, tonight we’re talking about temptation. And before you groan and say this isn’t something you struggle with, let me give you a few examples. I want you to listen carefully and tell me which of these you struggle with the most.” She pulled a paper from her Bible. “Here are ten examples of temptations. I guarantee each of you will relate to at least one thing on this list.” She unfolded the page and read aloud. “Here they are:
- Pride – wanting recognition and praise instead of giving God the glory.
- Self-Reliance – thinking you don’t need God’s help and trusting your own strength, wisdom or success.
- Gossip, slander, or being judgmental
- Greed and materialism – wanting more than you need to be comfortable
- Complacency – neglecting spiritual growth
- Anger or bitterness, unforgiveness
- Doubt and worry
- Comparing yourself to other people
- Hypocrisy and people pleasing
- Comfort and gluttony – seeking solace in food, entertainment, or shopping.”
Angela sank lower in her seat as Michelle read through the list. She was guilty of several of those things. Did Jennifer ask her to come here because she thought she was a terrible person and needed to repent? Coming here was a mistake. But she couldn’t back out now. She turned back to Michelle, who continued speaking.
“I don’t know about any of you, but I am tempted by several of these. I’ll start off by telling you what I struggle with the most. I am tempted to compare myself to other people. When I go to friends’ houses, I look at their cars in the driveway, their new kitchen appliances, and how clean their houses are, and I feel less valuable. I also struggle sometimes when I see posts on social media about amazing vacations. But I also compare myself to others in Christian things. I’ll think – she’s so much better at forgiveness, or she is so much better than praying than I am.”
Jennifer’s eyes widened. “Michelle, you’re such an inspiration to all of us. I compare myself to you and fall short every time.”
Michelle laughed. “Well, you just proved my point. Many of us struggle with comparison. And some of my struggles are rooted in envy since our finances are tight, but you see how we all think other people are in some ways better than us?”
Angela sat a little straighter in her seat. Maybe they weren’t looking to judge her at all.
Lisa raised a hand. “Personally, my temptations are the first two on the list. Pride and self-reliance. I grew up with nothing, but worked hard and started my own business. It’s taken off and done well, and I’m tempted to believe I built it all on my own. I’m very proud of what I’ve accomplished, but I have to remember that everything I have was given to me by God. My work ethic, my business acumen, my attention to detail…”
Michelle nodded. “That’s a great example. Would anyone else like to share?”
Heather set her mug on the coffee table. “For me, it’s doubt and worry. My son is active-duty military. I worry about him constantly. But deep in my heart, I know nothing can happen to him that God doesn’t allow, but the temptation to worry rises up whenever I think of him.”
Jennifer turned to Heather. “I’m sure it’s scary, but you should be proud of him.”
“Oh, I am. I’m just afraid he won’t come back home.”
Jennifer squeezed Heather’s arm and turned back to Michelle. “I’ve shared this before, but my temptation is gluttony. It’s such an ugly word, but I’ve struggled with my weight for most of my life because I turn to food for comfort. Whenever I’m stressed, I’m tempted to eat desserts.”
Angela stared at Jennifer. Sure, Jennifer wasn’t super thin, but Angela had no idea that was a struggle for her. All this honesty made her want to contribute. She cleared her throat. “For me, it’s gossip. I hate to admit it, but I really do struggle with it. At work, I always want to be the one with the exciting stories so people will find me interesting.” She lowered her head. “And sometimes the stories aren’t so flattering, or maybe even true. I’m ashamed to admit it.”
Michelle’s gaze was kind. “Thank you for sharing that. Thank you all for sharing. And now, let me give you tonight’s verse.” She read from her Bible.
“1 Corinthians 10:13 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.”
“So as you can see, we’re all tempted. And our temptations are not unique to us. But God always gives us a way to escape the temptation. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He used Scripture to fight back against the devil. And you can too.”
Heather’s eyes widened. “But how?”
Michelle smiled. “For you and your son, there are several verses about worry. I’ll give you this example. When Peter had his eyes on Jesus, he walked on water. But when he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the wind and waves, he began to sink.”
Michelle turned to Lisa. “For pride and self-reliance, you’ll want to read about King Uzziah in 2 Chronicles 26. He did amazing things for God, but became prideful and God allowed him to catch leprosy.”
Lisa blinked. “Wow. That’s a pretty strong warning. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Michelle continued. “For me, when I’m tempted to compare myself to other people, God reminds me of Cain and Abel, and also the disciples arguing which of them was the greatest. Things didn’t work out too well in either of their stories. And for you, Jennifer, when you’re tempted to sink your teeth into a dozen donuts, remember Esau who sold his birthright for a pot of stew. Food doesn’t bring comfort. Only God does.”
Jennifer smiled at Michelle. “Thank you for that reminder.”
“And finally, Angela. Thank you for trusting us with your struggles. I would advise you to read the book of James. He warns us the tongue is a fire that corrupts the whole body, so be careful of what you say.”
Michelle turned back to the rest of the group. “No matter what tempts you, God will always provide a way of escape. Jesus lived on earth as a man for thirty years and experienced every temptation, so He understands. He overcame the temptations and did not sin. And we have the same weapons He used. The word of God and the power of prayer.”
Hebrews 4:12–16
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Lord, You understand temptation. It is all around us every day, and also in our heads and hearts. You tell us you provide a way of escape for all temptations. And we take solace in the prayer you taught us to pray “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Please help us resist temptation in our lives. Please give us the strength we need to endure the temptations. Please help us set our minds on the things of You, not the things of this world. Thank You for understanding what we are going through. Help us not judge others when they are tempted, as we are continually tempted as well. Thank you for Your word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thank you for the reminder about what can be considered a temptation.