Temptation Is Recognized Rather Than Rationalized
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James moves almost immediately from trials to temptation because pressure often exposes what is already inside us.
He writes:
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But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
- James 1:14
One of the signs of immaturity is our ability to justify what we already want to do. We tell ourselves that something is not really wrong, that everybody does it, that this particular circumstance is different, or that we deserve an exception.
Maturity becomes more honest.
The experienced Christian begins recognizing the direction of temptation before reaching its final destination. We learn our weaknesses. We recognize familiar patterns. We become suspicious of the excuses we have used before.
This is another form of endurance because sometimes faithfulness simply means saying no again to something we have already said no to many times before.
Victory over temptation is often not dramatic. It is the quiet decision to remain faithful one more time.
