Preparing For Temptation
As I read about the Savior’s forty days in the wilderness and subsequent temptations, I was impressed with how he handled each of them. First, having eaten nothing for that extended period would devastate him and make him desperate for relief. Those conditions made him most vulnerable to temptation, and Satan pounced.
Each of the proposals set before Jesus played to the basest of human desires: physical comfort or satiation of temporal needs, power and control over everything and everyone around him, and the notion that nothing could harm him.
Could any one of us imagine a world where we never wanted for anything? If we possessed the power to transform stones into bread or simple bread into a sumptuous feast, would we not do it? Or would we not take advantage if we were kings and queens over a vast dominion and could have whatever we wanted whenever we wanted it? If you could be invincible and could never come to any harm, would you not want that? Those temptations offered to Christ are also provided to us in varying degrees.
We all find ourselves succumbing to each of these temptations. Our food is the best we can afford, our homes are far more than we need, and our vanity seems to know no bounds. Even with all we enjoy, we want more. In our desire, we sin.
I am unsure what I can do to change myself regarding these things. Are the excesses I enjoy blessings from Heavenly Father, or are they a product of misguided priorities? I suppose they are a bit of both. You can decide for yourself where you stand.
As the Lord was presented with each of the temptations, he answered each by quoting scripture. He was prepared so that even in his desperate circumstances and dire need, he could pause and evaluate each of the temptations and decide how to apply truth to overcome the deceptions of Satan. Did Jesus possess the power to turn stones into bread, or was Satan trying to convince him that he did? Did Satan have the wherewithal to grant Jesus dominion over the world’s kingdoms? Would angels save Jesus if he chose to throw himself off the pinnacle of the temple? We will never know because the Savior didn’t succumb to the temptations.
Do we have enough knowledge of scripture and enough wisdom to know when we are being deceived? As I write this, I am sure that I don’t, or at least didn’t, based on many of the decisions I have made.
I find that I am unprepared for what is happening to me as I write today’s thoughts. I will have to re-evaluate many things about what I do and modify my behaviors, actions, and decisions. Maybe we all need to prepare more for the temptations we face each day.