I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. —C. S. Lewis
When I was playing basketball in college, we had the opportunity to take a trip to Europe to play some international teams. Our travels took us to Amsterdam. I was completely ignorant of the reputation of the city, and apparently, my coach was too because he gave us a night off to “enjoy the city.”
Walking the dark streets with some of my teammates, we happened across the red light district—a clean, legal, organized, and repulsive venue for soliciting prostitutes. I glanced into a large window pane and was mortified to see an almost naked young woman enticing me towards her. It was a recipe for disaster. But in that moment, something inside took control. My eyes reflexively glanced down at the cobblestone street and stayed there. I had memorized 1 Corinthians 10:13 as a child, and the Holy Spirit instantly brought that verse to mind:
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
For the benefit of my equally terrified and tantalized teammates, I started to quote the verse. “Eyes down, boys!” I shouted. “God will provide a way out.” I looked up and saw a road leading to a quiet residential street. Recognizing it as our “way out,” we sprinted for safety.
We are constantly bombarded with temptation in this world. But God says that He will give us a way out when we need it, and because He is in us, He will walk us through it.
Dear Father, thank You for Your divine protection and the support that upholds us from the inside out. Give me the discernment to see the temptation for what it is and walk away. Amen.