Show Notes
READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13; HEBREWS 4:14-16; JAMES 1:12-18
Do you ever just feel overwhelmed by temptation? Our world is packed with opportunities to sin. Temptation seems to be around every corner. Each day, when we look at our phones or go to school or even just spend time alone with our thoughts, we can be faced with jealousy, greed, lust, and so many other enticements to sin—to doubt God’s goodness and go our own way instead. James 1:12-18 talks about the struggle we all have with temptation and trusting God. James says there are two possible responses to temptation in our lives.
First, we can respond by blaming God (verse 13). It’s easy to become frustrated when we’re tempted because sin lies to our hearts and seems so good. Even if we know that a particular sin is not right, it’s easy to doubt God’s goodness in those moments.
That’s why James points out a second, better way to respond: rather than doubting God’s goodness and blaming Him for the temptations we face, we can respond by trusting in the character of God. James says, “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters” (verse 16). In other words, don’t let your sinful desires lie to you. Instead, James points out two important truths about God’s goodness: (A) all the good things in our lives are really gifts from God (verse 17) and (B) God is never the cause of our temptation (verses 13-14).
God is good, and His character is unchanging. We have a God who cares for us and made a way for us to know Him through Jesus. A God who loves us so much that He is always working for our good, even through the messiest of situations (Romans 8:28-39; James 1:2-4, 16-18). A God who knows how difficult temptation is, who empathizes with us, and who resisted every temptation on our behalf so He could die in our place and rise again, making the way for us to be forgiven.
Whenever we face temptation, James reminds us not to give in and blame God. Because no matter the temptations or trials we face, God is good, and we can always turn to Him for hope and “receive mercy and find grace to help us” (Hebrews 4:16). • Phil Cox
• When we’re tempted to sin, how could it be helpful to remember that God loves us, He is good to us, and He has already provided forgiveness and made us new through Jesus?
• We’re not meant to struggle alone. Jesus invites us to come to Him with everything we’re facing, and He also calls us to share our struggles with each other. Who are trusted Christians you can be honest with about temptations and sins in your life?
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 (NIV)
More from Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens
READ: MATTHEW 6:19-21; JOHN 3:16-17; 14:1-4; REVELATION 19:6-9; 21:1-5
READ: PSALM 139:1-4; ROMANS 5:6-8; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 We curate the caption and crop the distraction, Chasing the applause of a virtual reaction. We polish the exterior to hide the interior, Afraid that our true selves are somehow inferior. But in the quiet, when the screen goes black, We feel the heavy weight of the perfection we lack. See, Jesus didn’t come for your highlight reel, He came for the brokenness you try to conceal. No filter could cover the crimson cost of sin, So He opened His arms to let the rebels in. On the cross, He was exposed, stripped, and bruised, So the real you would never have to be refused. He was buried in the dark so you could walk in the light, Tearing the veil to make your future bright. The grave couldn’t hold Him, the stone rolled away, Giving you mercy that is new every day. You are not a brand, a post, or a trend, You are chosen, beloved, and called His friend. So drop the performance, let the pretense cease, And rest in the rhythm of His perfect peace. • Ty Scott King • Why do you think it’s sometimes easier to show people a curated version of ourselves rather than who we really are? What parts of yourself do you try to curate, edit, and hide away? • Jesus sees the unedited version of you, and He loves you so much that He died and rose again for you. How could this truth affect the way yo view your mistakes, flaws, or things you just don’t like about yourself? • Are there any areas of your life where you feel like you’re putting on a performance instead of trusting God’s grace? Consider spending some time in prayer, laying these things down at Jesus’s feet and asking Him to help you see yourself the way He sees you. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)