Testing comes to us in many forms:
-school testing measures knowledge
-mechanics testing car parts for maintenance and upkeep
-mothers’ hands testing baby bottles to ensure warm milk
-then there’s testing of our WILLPOWER
Power to exert our personal will over our actions—firmly, decisively, and yet at times reluctantly, as was the case today at lunch.
Tempting morsels indeed…fried eggplant with tomato sauce, fried chicken and fried catfish…then there was buttery macaroni & cheese, turnip greens with pork, roast beef with dark-brown gravy, candied sweet potatoes, and fluffy white mashed potatoes.
I also definitely noticed the varied layered cakes, fruit pies and deep-dish cobblers, which were audibly calling out my name as I walked back to our table.
You’ve seen these down-home cooking-type spreads, where you are tested and tempted at every step along the buffet. Tested at the sight of the many choices, tempted by the rich smells of the hot food in trays hovering over the steamers.
So, it’s no wonder those around me in the buffet line were eyeing me strangely as I was praying over the choices I was making with the tongs!I was reminded of Beth Moore’s lesson on testing…and how we must be ready for those “decision moments” and “apply victory” attitudes and words.
Being weak I struggle to be victorious in my food choices; however, I can take more steps forward than backward and make changes little by little. Beth also had said last week on her simulcast that “whatever we are not praying through is when we are defeated”.
In some ways there were victories...
Even though unable to ward off the fried catfish--at least it was fish instead of beef; and.
since I had “fried”, I didn’t get a "dessert"...a small victory, but a victory!!
What tests have you been faced with this weekend?
What scripture will you have hidden in your heart to “ward off” the evil one’s temptations?
1 Cor 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 stand up under it.
