Our six-week, all-church series, Set Apart by Grace, is well underway. Believe it or not, we will already reach the halfway point on March 8th.
Throughout this 42-day series, I have been using bread as a symbol to remind myself that I do not live by bread alone. I chose to fast from bread as a physical reminder to lean on the Lord for my true sustenance. However, this past Sunday for our small group “soup night,” my wife made my favorite rolls: Red Lobster biscuits. The aroma in the car on the way there was intoxicating.
Completely forgetting my fast, I was halfway through my third biscuit when my wife stopped me. “Brent,” she asked, “should you really be eating that?” I looked at her in confusion before the realization hit. Whoops!
Temptation is often like that. It catches us off guard. It smells wonderful, looks appealing, or captivates our interest like shiny bait. If we aren’t living purposefully, we easily slide back into our old comforts. Without thinking, we metaphorically “take a bite of the forbidden biscuit” and slip back into our old habits. In our group discussion I was reminded of the Alcoholics Anonymous acronym HALT that stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired. These are the times we are most vulnerable.
I want to encourage you to keep fighting the good fight against the temptations of the flesh. Make it a priority to spend time with the Lord. Don’t give up, and do not be discouraged.
Let’s be victorious together!
-Pastor Brent