Subliminal_Shift

Oscar Wilde once said, "The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it."

All of us face temptation. But will yielding to it guarantee a tangible sense of fulfilment?

A typical person would justify that he would "rather face the consequences because it’s too much of a hassle to resist." Though I agree it could be a hassle, belittling the consequences would be a crucial mistake.

In most instances, temptation always connotes the negative. The sort of temptation most of us are familiar with involves sex and pornographic materials. But even the allure of power and fame (i.e. showing off) also causes us to decay subliminally.

The difference between physical attraction and lust is that the former is a natural human impulse while the latter is a deliberate act of the will — a choice.

To yield to temptation means, you would rather surrender for the sake of "feeling good" or you feel that you’ve already had enough of resisting. Conversely, the problem with yielding to every single temptation (whatever it might be) is impulsivity — reacting by impulse without giving a second thought.

Dealing with it is hard enough, but as Sun Tzu, author of the "Art of War", aptly said: "Know your enemy". Hence, awareness is a vital first step in gaining the edge in mental warfare.

Reality acknowledges the recognition of the transcendent, the deceptions of spiritual evil that is often referred to as Satan or the Devil. It begins by striking a chord deep within each of us. Every person has a certain desire or craving (be it noble or an utterly negative one).

It uses temptation as a primary weapon to destroy you. Evil exists. Evil deceives.

When that moment happens, conflict arises between morality and pragmatism. If you lose the upper hand, doubt begins to set in. Then you think, "Is yielding to it really as wrong as it seems?" Yet the decision to yield is not actually a one-time thing, but a climax of micro-decisions made in the past.

It begins with repeated exposure to the same temptation. If you are not careful, the once firm principles you may have had slowly erode until deception takes a foothold. It culminates when that "one moment" breaches the threshold of “perceived immunity” and then breaks.

The propensity to "fall" is dependent on how strong you hold on to the principles you live by. However, we’ve heard stories of people who commit to principles that they’ve upheld for so long, only to surrender it all for a moment of lust. This is where the limits of human nature reach its dead end. This is where God comes in.

"Every temptation is an opportunity to do good," said Rick Warren in the phenomenal bestseller “The Purpose Driven Life”. "As a path to spiritual maturity, even temptation becomes a stepping-stone rather than a stumbling block, when you realize it an occasion to do the right thing rather than to do otherwise."

I don’t mean to sound self-righteous. I struggle like everybody else, and I’m never going to outgrow it. In fact, we all struggle. But I believe in a loving God who promised this: "I will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, I will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it."

Recognize the long-term consequences. That is why evasion is best. Don’t play with fire if you don’t want to get burned. Even if its warmth provides momentary satisfaction.