He’ll See You Through

Some translations say ‘temptation’, others say something like ‘trial’. In a way, when it comes to how we react to things, the result can be the same. Temptations entice us into sin, Trials – difficult circumstances – can push us into sin. The enemy, Satan, is equally happy with either.

The word for temptation can also mean ‘test’. Jesus was tested when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. The enemy enticed Him with the promise of ‘all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur’ (Matthew 4:8). His hunger was pushing Him to misuse His power to turn stones into bread (Matthew 4:3). Every temptation or trial that comes our way will test our obedience to the Lord.

When I read this verse recently, two phrases sprang out at me. The first was, ‘has taken hold of you’. It’s like someone grabbing you and forcing you to go where they want you to go. Temptations and difficult circumstances have the capacity to exert control over our decisions.

The second was, ‘so you will be able to endure it’. What Paul is saying is this: God may not take the temptation away, nor remove the difficult circumstances, nor even lift us out of them. But He will, if we let Him, give us the resources not to give in to the temptation; not to cope with the problems in ungodly ways, or get pushed in the wrong direction. It’s not the testing situation that we escape, it’s the ungodly reactions.

God’s escape route isn’t necessarily getting away from temptations or unpleasant situations. Rather, it is the provision of the resources that will enable us to live with them and learn from them without sinning. God often sees us through rather than getting us out.

In Jesus, we have all the resources we need, and we will survive. More than that, we’ll come out of it richer and better for the experience.

It’s good, isn’t it? to learn verses of the Bible by heart. I’ve always found this one incredibly difficult to memorise. I think the enemy likes that. Today’s is one that he particularly dislikes!