Every moment in life, whether a hardship or a blessing, can bring temptation. Hardship may tempt us to fear, lose hope, doubt the love of God, or be estranged from Him, while a time of blessing may tempt us to become boastful, conceited and self-sufficient.
This is why we need to cry out to our Father in humility, acknowledging our weakness and asking Him not to lead us into a place of trial. However, in case, in His providence and wisdom, He does lead us into a place of trial, we plead to Him not to let us succumb to the snares of the evil one. We do so while remembering that He will not let us be tempted beyond our ability to endure it (1 Cor 10:13).
We might wonder why God would allow us to be tried? The first reason is that we live in a fallen world in which we “will have tribulations” (John 16:33). The second reason is that this is part of our sanctification process which is described in 1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV): “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
In summary and to quote Martin Luther, “Temptation is the best school into which the Christian can enter, yet, in itself, a part from the grace of God, it is so doubly hazardous, that this prayer should be offered every day, ‘Lead us not into temptation’ or if we must enter into it, ‘Lord deliver us from evil.’”
WISSAM NASRALLAH
Chief Operations Officer | LSESD