TEMPTATION

“I won’t argue,” He said. My husband pushed the signed paper back to me. He grinned. “We will get back together,” he said. “You are crazy enough to believe,” I said. “but I plan to file today.”

Temptation. I wanted to walk away.

That was 8 years ago, and to this day I am thankful Steve believed. We went through many trials in our 7th year of marriage, but we made it through.

This November marks our 15-year anniversary.

Every marriage presents tests. I didn’t give a good reason to seek divorce. Most issues because of differences in child raising. His pride and anger mixed with my failure to submit to and respect him broke us apart. I blamed him first.

He blamed me back.

And the blame merry go round spun around and around…Dizziness set in and blurred our perception of the true reality of our own equal faults.

We remained separated for 10 months. During separation, temptation suddenly showed up out of nowhere for us both. Our already strained marriage tested on a deeper level.

Charm is deceitful. Temptation conveniently showed up in our time of hurting, loneliness and crisis.

A few charming voices offered comfort and a listening ear of all our marital woe. A new friendship for him. A new friendship for me. Spiritual warfare.

The stakes higher. Time to up the ante.

“But you deserve better than him. God wants you happy. You deserve to be happy.”

“Your wife does not respect you. Let her go through with the divorce. You deserve respect.”

The voices of our charmers waiting in the wings always spoke the easy way out. But God had my heart.

So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are.

Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life. – Proverbs 4:23 (TPT)

I searched the scriptures hoping to find justification for my decision to divorce.

I found no valid reason. A vacant apartment at work became my prayer office at noon on a spring day, and I cried out for grace.

“Lord, help me to make the right decision. Give me the strength to do what is right before you.”

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)

The 30-day waiting period before the divorce became final drew closer, and I kept praying. God gave me the strength to drop my friendship and my husband dropped his. We sat down and talked our issues out. Marriage is a sacred covenant and I knew God’s will. I called off the divorce and it never finalized.

We tackled all our problems and differences in our marriage with honesty, transparency and grace. We each accepted responsibility for our own mistakes. This left no room for the enemy to work.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16 (NASB)

Hindsight is always 20/20. I cried out for grace continually. God answered. His grace and mercy protected and prevented us both from making mistakes we could have deeply regretted.

What temptation are you struggling with today?

Walking away from a marriage? Adultery? Fornication?

God’s power operates powerfully when we honestly call out to Him for grace in our time of temptations.

But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! – 2 Corinthians 12:9 (AMPC)

Cry out for grace. Christ is ready willing and able to help.

In Christ,

Teri Smith

Do you know Jesus? –

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. – Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV)

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