Dear Veritas,

We all feel the enticing pull toward sin. The thing about temptation is… well, it’s tempting. And each of us may have different areas where we feel the strength of that pull more than others. The donut in the workroom calling to us. The inappropriate website. The overindulgent spending. The escape into the bottle. The information that wants to be let out as gossip. And our willpower that at first resists seems to grow weaker with time, like muscles running a marathon or a boxer now in the 12th round. Even willpower gets tired. And we think giving in to the temptation is what will finally give us relief from the exhaustion of the fight.

If any of this sounds familiar, perhaps we are giving temptation too much attention. It has become the feared opponent that we know will eventually get us, given enough time. All day with that donut—it’s going to get me. A weekend trip with friends—that juicy information is going to come out. We resist for a while, but we have become so used to losing. We’ve taught ourselves that we are no match for temptation. So like the weak freshman, we just seek to avoid the upperclass bully of our temptation. After all, we are to flee temptation, right? Yes, but fleeing temptation is not about running away scared.

Think about it. When we flee temptation, we know what we are running from, but we often don’t think much about what we are running to. And our willpower gets exhausted just running from something. It is like being chased; how long can we keep this up? But willpower finds its legs running to something. A destination is a life-giving draw. We can find temporary relief from the fight by giving in to temptation, but it will be followed by shame and frustration, entangling us deeper in the traps of sin. Or, we can find relief from the fight by not just running from temptation but to a refuge. To the place where we can stop running and collapse into a rest free from danger. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

This isn’t just a future promise that someday God will set us free from this body of sin and death—which is true (Romans 7:24-25). But this is a this-life promise. God is a very present help in times of trouble. So how do we not just run from temptation, but run to the refuge of our God?

It is a matter of perspective. A very important matter of perspective. Every runner is both running away from something and toward something at the same time. But no runner is giving thought to the starting line; they’re thinking of the finish line. The focus is not what they are running from but what they are running to. The same should be true for us in fleeing temptation. Fleeing temptation is no time to be looking over our shoulder. That will only lead to frustration because the one chasing you is not someone outside of you, someone who you can create distance from. Every glance back will be a discouragement that the temptation is so easily keeping up with any attempt to flee. You can’t outrun this opponent as long as you are staying on the run. We must get to the destination, the refuge to find relief. But how?

In Psalm 46 the psalmist not only tells us that God is our refuge, but also gives us directions to that shelter.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” (Psalm 46:1-3)

Did you see it? The directions to the refuge is choice. A disposition in the face of trouble. A decision to not fear. To not fear in the face of a lot of scary things. This is a decision to trust. Or another way to see it is a disposition of worship in times of trouble or moments of temptation. There are real circumstances luring me to be worried, or tempting me to doubt or sin, and the refuge is found in the decision to trust. To not be afraid. To express confidence in God. To give God honor in the very moments of temptation is the path to refuge.

Let me offer what I have found to be a helpful perspective. Rather than seeing temptation as just a threat to sin, look at temptation as an opportunity to worship.

Of course, we can worship anytime—in the car, at home, together with other believers at church. But temptation presents a unique opportunity to worship. And to see it as so changes our interaction with the moment of enticement. The moment of temptation is an opportunity to express a trust in God and a valuing of God over the temptation. It is specific worship. Often we practice general worship—expressing the overall greatness of God, singing songs about his character and accomplishments. But the moment of temptation offers an opportunity for specific worship. To proclaim our preferring of God over that specific temptation. And in that, we find refuge—a very present help in temptation, relief in the struggle—because He is actually better than whatever is tempting us. It is true, and we see it through faith when we turn to Him in those times of temptation.

Let’s not just run from temptation, but rather, let’s run from temptation to God through seeing the moment of temptation as a unique opportunity to express your preference of God over that specific temptation. So, church family, the next time temptation arises, what a wonderful opportunity to specifically honor God.

- Jake