Holy Wednesday Reflection: Defeating Temptation

Since Monday this week, I am doing my prayer and fasting. I am only eating one meal a day and praying every 12 midnight. I am on my third day of fasting, and I will be honest to say that there are times I am tempted to eat a lot. Buy chocolate and ice cream and pig out tempt me. I am tempted to go to the mall instead of staying at home. I am tempted to play Plants vs. Zombies the whole day, forgetting my other priorities. My thoughts are easily tempted.

In real life, temptations are everywhere. It may be hiding inside your room, sitting on your sofa, fast moving in the highway, or waiting in the road – even the internet is overflowing with temptations. Everyday we shocked by small and big temptations – Lies, Sex, Desire, Wants, Food, Drinks, Drugs, Alcohol, Vices. Temptations come in different colors and variations.

Sex, Lies, Drugs, Desire, Wants, Food, Alcohol, Vices

Sex maybe wonderful and feels good, but anything that feels good has the potential to lead us into trouble. Examples: Lies – How many relationships have been broke by these words. Drugs – How many families have been ruin by this illegal chemical. Desire and Wants – How many dreams have been destroy by this thoughts. Food and Alcohol – How many mothers and fathers and children were lost because of this materialism. Vices – How many homes were burn by this illusive comfort? The moment you tried these things, part of our brain wants it repeatedly.

Sexual relationship with wrong partner may direct us into trouble. People end up destroying their marriage, friendship, job and being gone to jail and worst – killed. The Bible said: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 Yes, you read it right. Temptation will lead us the way to escape from it. Every temptation is an opportunity to do good. Opportunity to be with God’s glory. It provides us the choice we have to make. Temptation is an evil deed to destroy us, but God used it to develop us.  Each time that we choose to be good instead of living with the sin, our character is maturing and our spirits grows. Like a plant being watered and fertilized.

We can defeat temptation by living the characters of Jesus Christ:

1. Love – How can I love if the world hates me? We should always remember that the world is representation of God. And if we love our God, we can love the world even if it is against us. God will reward our unconditional love for him. And remember: Jesus died to show us the true meaning of love to us.

2. Joy – The real meaning of joy is when we feel it in the midst of sorrow. Whatever trials may endure us, we must turn to him at all times. Joy is different from Happiness. Happiness could depends on external circumstances, but joy is based on our relationship to God.

Take this for example. When my mom died last Christmas I was really so miserable. It felt like my future plans and dreams were demolished. But in the middle of my sorrow, I felt that my heart was filled with so much joy. As I look at my mom lying on her bed, covered with white cloth, I found an inner peace within. I know Mama will be in heaven, and hug tight by our creator. I know that she will be in a place where no one will harm her no more, no pain and suffering can weakens her anymore. God will protect and comforts her because Mama lived a good life here on Earth.

3. Peace – Being at peace in the middle of chaos and confusion is the real essence of peace. It is being focus and determined even when things don’t go the way we planned. To be in ultimate peace is being with God. Trusting him in all circumstances of our lives in which we are feared or afraid.

The next time will be tempted, I would pray. I will focus my attention to something else. Temptation starts in our mind. Instead of resisting the thought, I will refocus on it. I will not fight it, I would just change the thought I am thinking. The Bible said; “God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who loves him.” James 1:12. God will reward those who obey him. And by defeating our temptation, evil become less powerful.

I will ask you do the same thing I am doing. Get your calendar and pen. Every time you defeat your little temptations, mark a red star on your calendar.  And at the end of the week, take a look and see how you’re doing.

Holy Monday Reflection: Humility

Today, God thought me the essentials of humility. I have material things I needed; shelter, food, clothes, shoes, watches, book etc., but sometimes I complain having less. I don’t have ipod, I don’t have the height, my skin is not fair enough, etc. But when I open my eyes, even kings and queen of other nation doesn’t have a perfect life. I opened my eyes and I saw a homeless child lying on the street floor and begging for alms. I looked at the other side, I saw a man without the left arms and on that point, I knew how lucky I was to have complete body parts.

God taught me today that humility is an act of being empty. Remember the keywords: Humility is being empty. Humility is being desperate that our good God will fill you up. I life, we have so many problems we face everyday. Some are simple problems that we can easily overcome. But sometimes life throws us a problems we don’t know how to solve. Then, that the time we have to pray to the Lord and ask him to solve our problems. When we have problems that we cannot solve, we become empty, and being empty is okay. That leads us to our Lord’s guidance.

Like my favorite author, Bo Sanchez said: “The day a successful person stops being humble is the day he prepares for his downfall.” What does I meant? For me, it means that the more we become successful we are, the more we should be humble to everyone else. Life is everyday learning experience. God arranged people in our life to inspire, challenge, train, teach us in every aspect that we have to learn to prepare us to be worthy of his glory. Jesus said: ‘For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.’ Romans 12:3

Humility is not just being empty but being empty at all. Like Jesus who undress himself and went down to the world and live like an ordinary man. He was crucified and died for us to redeem the world from sin. This Holy Week, let us start to be humble and reflect to our mistakes and ask for God’s forgiveness.