Send to KindleRecently, I heard I song by Kevin Levar called Your Destiny. It is a wonderful, yet powerful song about how one’s destiny, as ordained by God, is too important to give up for anything. The song is an example of sermon to a catchy beat I’m sure every one of us can relate to.
There’s a lyric to the song that resonates within me. It’s a simple verse that says,
“Waiting on the other side of temptation…”
That simple lyric got me to thinking hard. What is waiting on the other side of temptation?
After all, temptation lures us because we want it so bad. Whether it’s another man, another woman, money, drugs, a euphoric high from some addictive bad habit, we want that because of the pleasure we receive from it. Temptations are more or less temporary pleasures rooted in our sinful nature. For myself, I’ll never be tempted to drink alcohol because that’s nothing something that gives me pleasure; however, if you set a nice, soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie in front of me, I’ll succumb. If you set twelve of them in front of me, I may eat the whole pack.
Simply put the lures are something individually catered to who we are. It could be drug addiction, porn addiction, fornication, sexual deviance, adultery, gluttony (greediness), the love of money, the love of power and control. Whatever that is, there are events and devices that will tempt us to partake of the glowing, flashy rotted fruit.
Yet, on the other side of temptation, that’s the real reward. On the other side of drug addiction is the freedom to be your own person not controlled by a substance. On the other side of porn addiction, is a spouse God has given you to delve into become ‘one flesh’ unencumbered by a computer screen. On the other side of fornication is self-control. On the other side of sexual deviance is a wholesome relationship blessed by God. On the other side of adultery is faithfulness. On the other side of gluttony is generosity. On the other of control is service. On the other side temptation is the true reward God has for you – a life abundantly blessed through obedience to Him. In my book, The Other Man, I deal with a topic a lot of church people feel uncomfortable about – possibly because many of us among the saints have thoughts adultery and fornication. Perhaps we’ve even taken a bite of that rotted fruit that shines so bright. Thankfully, God gave us a way out. Even if we succumb, on the other side of temptation is redemption through Christ Jesus. In other words, we don’t have to stay on this side of temptation. The glorious reward is on the other side of it.
I’ll leave with the lyric from an old, by familiar hymn. Be blessed.
“Yield not to temptation for yielding is sin.
Each victory will help you, some other to win.”
About the Author:
Parker J. Cole is a writer and radio show host who spends most of her time reading, knitting, writing, cooking, and concocting new ideas for stories. Her first novel, Dark Cherub, won Best of Spring Reading 2013 from eMediaCampaigns. She lives in Michigan with her husband and beloved dog Sarah.
Visit her site at http://www.ParkerJCole.com
