Gee, for no reason at all I seem to be thinking about temptation. Or, perhaps, I just encountered it. Maybe. Possibly. It could happen. I know; you're shocked, but get over it.
Sometimes temptation appears unexpectedly. Someone makes a remark, a billboard uses a seductive picture, something is lying on the street. You cannot always predict when and how temptation may show up, right?
Actually, I think temptation is rarely ever unexpected. After all, those same things may not have any affect on another day. Temptation is only temptation if I'm in the mood to be tempted, and whether or not I am in the mood to be tempted depends on how much attention I am paying to maintaining my spirituality in a healthy way. While grace is there as a safety net, and I'm glad it is, spiritual maintenance is largely a proactive practice.
If I have an intention to remain in grace, there are ways for me to support that intention. Regular and intermeittent prayer, supportive friends, positive music, and so on. If I'm "paying intention," I'm on the path.
Challenges occur when I'm not paying intention, when I'm bored, or as the 12-step groups put it, in those "HALT" moments (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired). If I qualify for one or more of those, I need to address it quickly and resolve the problem.
I have a prayer, though, for those moments of temptation, a slight twist on a classic. Temptation is not a problem unless I begin to consider why I deserve to engage in something, or why it won't hurt anyone, or why it will go unnoticed. So my prayer is:
"And lead me not into rationalization, but deliver me from my thinking. Amen."
God usually has better ideas than I do, especially in those moments!
Blessings,
David
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