Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
- Matthew 26:41
As you read this, I’m spending the weekend with my family at Galveston’s Crystal Beach getting a little sun and a lot of rest. While we’re doing our share of swimming in the ocean, my kids’ favorite activity is actually playing in the sand—digging holes, covering arms and legs, and, most importantly, building sandcastles.
Of course, there’s always a risk when you build your sandcastle too close to the shore. One moment you have a firm structure, something carefully crafted and seemingly stable. The next moment a single wave reduces it all to a misshapen lump. No matter how well you build your sandcastle, it’s not going to be able to stand up to what’s coming.
When it comes to our spiritual sturdiness, we tend to think we’re stronger than we really are. We like to imagine ourselves as iconoclasts, able to skillfully withstand whatever darts the devil throws our way. We have Jesus in our hearts, what more do we need?
But just as Jesus cautioned his disciples, he cautions us as well: the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. However ready you believe you are to go toe to toe with the enemy, temptation is stronger than you think it is. With this in mind, the Lord encourages us to be watchful and to pray for freedom over temptation. It is by God’s power, not our own strength, that we persevere.
Like waves on the shore, spiritual trials will inevitably come. If you’re relying on your own strength to overcome them, prepare to be shaped into someone you don’t recognize. Look instead to the one who gives strength to the powerless.
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