"Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death” James 1:13-15.

Nothing is easier than blaming God amidst our greatest challenges. If He is all-powerful and all-knowing, couldn’t He shield us from what we are currently undergoing? While this question prompts nearly endless debate and discussion, many of our problems are of our own doing.

While God brings trials into our lives for our good, temptations are a matter of personal choice. Temptations are enticements toward sin, and God is never part of this process. As James clearly points out, trouble comes when we contemplate temptation, act upon it, and fully indulge in it. The end result is death, rather than the fleeting pleasure initially so appealing.

A famous actress from a bygone era once remarked that she could resist anything except temptation. Failure to resist temptation is the source of all the problems we face, as occurred in the garden paradise with our original parents. Had they resisted, the challenge of temptation for us would be a moot point.

We will face enticements to sin today and every day. James wisely described the course and outcome of temptation so that we might better consider the consequences. Resisting the initial appeal accomplishes far more than damage control after the fact. But, personal determination to resist is often ineffective. James prescribes partnership with others for transparent confession (James 5:16) as an effective means to do that which we cannot personally do. Confession is risky, but failure is not an option when it concerns temptation and sin.

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