A way of escape – Thursday, 07 December

We all face challenging circumstances and have opportunities to stress out. We seem to accept stress as normal and just a part of life, but it is not God’s will for us. Jesus invites us to come to Him and experience rest and peace. We’re also invited to cast our cares on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).

Many things will attempt to steal your joy and peace – especially over the holiday period when you’re planning to rest more. It doesn’t matter how bad the challenges are you do not have to lose your peace or joy. You may have troubles but you do not have to be troubled!  

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV

I love this verse! It’s pointing out that in the midst of temptation (and always) God is faithful. He is not guilty – He isn’t causing the problem, the trials and temptations (James 1:13-15). He is faithful – He is the way of escape, the solution and ever-present Help. God is for you, not against you (Romans 8:31)!

“13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”
James 1:13-15 KJV

Many people believe that “God won’t put more on you than you can bear…” but that’s not what the scripture is saying. God doesn’t “put on” but rather He is your help in times of trouble. He doesn’t tempt us – temptation is the result of what you have allowed in your heart. He won’t allow temptations to overtake you – if temptations and trials overtake us it’s not God’s will, it’s us who allowed it.

God doesn’t overwhelm your heart with challenging circumstances or with temptations and trials, but He does make a way of escape for you – a way of deliverance – and we need to take that way of deliverance.

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful”
1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV

In the challenging circumstances that come against us, it is easy to get into fear and feel overwhelmed. Some people even blame God for the mess they’re in – but God is faithful, not guilty! He is your solution and ever-present Help, not your adversary. If we want to be overcomers and live stress-free lives we need to stop focusing on the challenges that we face and start focusing on the faithfulness of God. Yes, I have some challenges, BUT God is faithful to help me in my time of need.