Temptations come at us all the time in various forms—whether we're alone or with someone else or with a whole group of people. We're never really out of the woods in that sense. It's important to resist the temptations to do or say things that would not be good us. Only God knows the best things for us to say, see, do, etc. Yet we still find ourselves faced with having to make a decision in the moment, don't we?
Having a plan of action can help when you're standing at the crossroads of "do it" or "turn away". If you know that you're likely to get tempted by a certain thing, then it's always best to avoid it altogether. Seems simple enough, right? But life isn't always that simple.
What about when temptations can't be avoided, or if you have already found yourself inching closer to it? Is it too late? Should you go ahead with it anyway? When this happens, be ready with an alternate thing that you can do instead. Why have an alternate? If you just tell yourself "No!" then sit around and do nothing, the temptation is bound to creep up again to fill in the space. If you replace the temptation with another, healthier alternative, then you've beaten it!
What can you do to create a plan of action? There's a plan of action for that too: Know God and follow Him. He is your absolute best guide, and He won't lead you astray. Here's how you can get started:
Yes, temptations are a part of life on this fallen world. But 1 Peter 1:7 says God will use trials to test our faith and to make us stronger Christians; we will be given much honor if we can stand strong and not waver. "Yet faith comes from listening to this message of good news – the Good News about Christ" (Romans 10:17).
—Cat
Cat is the web producer and editor of 412teens.org. She loves audiobooks, feeding the people she cares about, and using Christmas lights to illuminate a room. When Catiana is not writing, cooking, or drawing, she enjoys spending time with her two teenage kids, five socially-awkward cats, and her amazing friend-amily.