During Sunday’s sermon I mentioned that Monieca did not get me a solid chocolate bunny for my Easter basket this year. She always prepares me, as well as our kids and their spouses, an Easter basket filled with “goodies”, gifts and a card. Mine and Steven’s always include a solid chocolate bunny. He got one this year. I didn’t. As I mentioned Sunday, her not giving me one was an act of love. She didn’t want to tempt me. I’ve been doing well on my diet (down 50 lbs.) and she didn’t want to make it harder on me.
I received another act of love recently from some of the kids in our church. Through one of the ministries they prepared me, as well as other staff members, a small jar of M&Ms. It was sweet…not just the candy but the kids. It was an act of love. But here’s the problem. I ATE THEM!
When Jesus said the “spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”, He was soooooooo right.
With my diet I have to put certain safe guards in place to limit the amount of temptation I face. Certain things we used to purchase at the grocery store we don’t purchase anymore. Certain things we used to cook we don’t cook anymore.
With my diet I also have to make sure I have certain things in place to make success more likely. Thus, I’ve found several “diet” ice creams (individual bars, not boxes) that I enjoy and keep in the freezer for a snack when watching TV at night. There’s a certain low calorie salad dressing I like. I have a data base of foods I like and their calorie count for all chain restaurants that I keep in our cars, my office and on my phone so I know what I can eat before I go to any restaurant.
What I’m saying is I need guardrails – that is I must keep certain things away from me. I also need a good road to travel – that is I must know what I’m going to do before I start.
That’s actually a good formula for dealing with all temptation…with all areas of our lives, not just food and diet. Let me give you an example.
As a married man or woman, you never ever discuss the intimate details of your marriage with someone of the opposite sex – that’s a guardrail against emotional attachment and ultimately an affair. You plan one vacation a year as a couple without the kids – that’s a good road toward keeping the flame of love burning hot.
Defeating temptation is more easily done when you don’t allow it in your life in the first place. To do that, you need a plan – some guardrails and some good roads for your journey through life.
What are your guardrails? What are your good roads?
Pastor Steve Hogg
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