Just yesterday, I was whining to my friends about Romans 13: 12 -14 where Paul pretty much says that we will have sinful lusts, but that we are to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” Totally missing the beauty of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ (I mean, wow.), I focused on the inconvenient truth that we can’t escape these temptations.  Honestly, I’ve probably asked the Lord to deliver me from having temptations more often than from giving into them. I realize now that when I do, I’m shamelessly begging for the “easy-way-out,” which ultimately results in a lazy, unrefined Laura with flaccid spiritual muscles who hasn’t enjoyed the privilege of knowing Jesus so intimately by actually putting Him on… but in the moments of temptation, it often seems better just not to have the temptations at all.

Sure enough, that afternoon as I was reading The Excellent Wife (Martha Peace’s fabulous fabulous no-frills all-Scripture book), my eyes bulged as I read very familiar — but freshly alive — words from James 1 that helped to remind me that all of this is about humanity’s intimate rub up against a divine Father who loves us and wants us to be just like Jesus.

“…My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him…”