When You Are Tempted – Remember These 4 Truths!
On today’s video, I am sharing a very personal story about a time in my life when I was tempted and nearly slipped and stumbled off the path of doing what is right. The hardest part of this story is that it didn’t happen 20 years ago – it seems like it’d be easier to tell if it had. Instead, it happened more like 2 years ago.
For those who have followed my blog for a long time – you might remember when I posted a blog post titled: Walking in Faith When the Future Is Unclear. After I posted that blog post, I went on an extended break from blogging. This situation was happening just a few weeks beforehand. It was one of the things God used to show me that I needed to take a break and get alone with Him.
We never know what temptation will be around the next corner – so join me on this video as we discuss – When You are Tempted – Remember These 4 Truths…
{If you are reading this in an email or feed – click here to view the video}
During my time of rest from blogging, I realized how deeply I needed to thoroughly release every worry, fear, pain, sorrow, frustration, sin and burden to the Lord. Without releasing all the things that keep me up at night, I could not find rest and I was worn down.
So I took those feelings to God’s Word and looked for answers and then I took those answers and how they intertwined with my life, to my keyboard and began writing. And a 4-week Bible study was born titled: Rest and Release. It was only by releasing all of my junk in exchange for Jesus’ rest that I found healing and strength to resist temptation and put one foot in front of the other and keep going on the right path.
Psalm 73
The last 3 verses of Psalm 73 say:
My flesh and my heart may fail, BUT GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
BUT FOR ME it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
(Psalm 73:26-28)
In times of temptation – your flesh and your heart may fail but God! BUT GOD! He is our strength!
We must draw near to God and make him our refuge. Then and only then can we tell of the wonderful works he has done in our lives!
Keep running to Jesus as your safe haven. He is with you and He loves you!
Walk with the King,
Thank you for sharing your story!
Thank you for sharing so bravely. I admire you so much and it really helps to know you’ve gone through temptation as well and have come out stronger. Sharing our weaknesses with each other is so important. Thank you for your encouragement! ❤️
Thank you for sharing! You are an inspiration. <3
Thank you ????
Thank you for your honesty!! We all have our different battles. Thank you for reminding us to stay close to God and remember that He is our strength!! ????
I’ve been following your blog for years, Courtney. And I’ve enjoyed learning from you! You are an inspiration – praise God that you have remained faithful through your trials! I went through a divorce around the same time as you were. And it was devastating. Then about two years ago, I did fall to temptation. I had the same line of thinking that you describe in the video. But God has restored! Yesterday, I had a temptation come, completely blindsiding me… but God held my hand back from making plans to follow through. I can’t believe how strongly this temptation pulled on me! Praise God, He pulled me through it and this video could not have come at a more appropriate time to encourage and strengthen me to keep going. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing.
I cried with you in this. We have all been tempted and many are living the consequences of falling to temptation. But God …
Thank you for your transparency.
Thank you for sharing this! Your words of truth are so powerful. I, too, have been at that place. I know we are not to weary of doing good, but the enemy knows how to wear us down. I am so thankful that God is our strength and holds our hand as we continue to walk with Him. I am thankful for your testimony and example – to know others have been there, too, and have chosen to keep walking with God. Thank you for being brave enough to honestly share your experiences. This gives me a renewed hope and inspiration!
Courtney, I love you sister, you are a great encouragement in time of need. I always glean a lot from you. Your witness is a testimony to us. Thank you for sharing this trial you had went through and the struggles. Thank you for being transparent, and your faithfulness. We can be comforted in knowing we are not alone. Praying for you sister and for His blessings upon you.
InHis hands,
Adrienne
Thank you for this Courtney. I feel like I am losing my strength to overcome temptation, as my battle has gone on with various intense trials for a long time.
Dear Courtney,
Thank you for sharing your story. I felt that way the other night. Literally I was raging against God about why He couldn’t just give me a break and let me have peace. I’ve been struggling for a few months with Him actually but it kind of came to a head the other day. I have lived for so many years doing what I thought the Lord wanted me to do and now I’m at a crossroads and I want Him to intervene or at least tell me what to do but He seems silent and far from me. I know that’s not true but my despair and indecision are stronger than my spirit sometimes and I feel so angry and alone. All of that to say that your story resonates with me.. Thank you for sharing your heart.
Such encouraging words for those of us weary from life’s trials. Thank you so much for thoughtful reminders.
Thank you for your powerful and encouraging story!
Courtney, I hear ya… loud and clear. That happened to me. I had a choice of doing something truly bad and this was years ago but the “Holy Spirit” brought me to scriptures about not desiring the wicked ways. I needed to repent because my children will be a witness of all my choices and I just didn’t want them to go the same road that I was on.
From that point of “Reality Check” I began writing God’s words upon my heart and prayed Lord in my metaphor “I jumped over a cliff and prayed desperately – God please catch me” and “Ohhhh LORD JESUS…. Praises… Praises up to our Heavenly Father” because that moment when I made decision years go pick God’s way…with many days of tears and nose to the ground at night after my children were asleep – crying/ screaming into my pillow and crying in the morning in the showers…. God boldly put me and my children’s life in HIS Perfect hands” and I saw miracles and miracles come into my life… where I just desire each morning to shout out on the mountains how great GOD IS!!!” Jesus became so real in my hard times and bringing my children & me out of our desperate days and brought us in a life of sweet honey. God build my faith that year and I so LOVE LIFE and appreciate the Holy Spirit and just LOVE God for all the goodness that He has faithfully bless us.
God BLESS you….both your testimony and mine and many women of God that have walked similarities paths that we have been on, will truly empower us to share God’s true LOVE on everyone that walks the earth. They just need to take their faith as a size of a mustard seed and trust GOD. PEACE and may God’s faithful Grace and Mercy always follow you and be BLESS…. “Thank you for choosing to be faithful in HIS arms”
Cecilia Reyes
This message totally resonates with me Courtney & good to know I’m not alone in thinking this way. Thanks for the scriptures we can turn to, to help us with these thoughts. The more you want to do that which is right & walk with God, the more the cunning old devil attacks us with his own agenda. 2 yrs ago our world was turned upside down too (& still our nightmare is still continuing) I had exactly those same thoughts as you & sometimes still do, it’s hard it’s a battle & when does it get any easier. I remind myself that God is sovereign in all he does and what he allows into our lives. One thing, is we must never give up hope. Keep on praying & being in the Word. We have a race to run & heaven to look forward to. I also see this as a sign of the times, where the Lord speaks of a turning away from the faith & the days becoming more evil, (satan’s on the rampage for sure) We know that the Lords coming is near. Though it seems some of us are going to get to Heaven feeling a little more battered & bruised, but none the less knowing we are there with Jesus despite what we have had to face and go thru that we were faithful to the end and never gave up.
Thank you for sharing Courtney, I have been following your blog for about 6 years now and your testimony continues to inspire and encourage me!
I can’t believe I just watched that. Because this morning around 8am I had that same exact melt down of throwing in the towel. My marriage has been on a bumpy road for the past 5 months and to make this worse my husband is overseas. He has cut off communication and I just feel like I’m the only one fighting. I know God is with me but my heart want answers, I break down really bad and I keep hearing the voice in my head go ahead accept defeat. I then realize it’s the enemy because God don’t want me to quit he’s been carrying me. But I can see we all get to that place.
I am praying for you Alicia, for you and your husband.
Hi Courtney!
Thank you for being so vulnerable and sharing a time when you were tempted. When you started to cry and said “I’ve always tried to do what’s right,” I started to cry because that could be me talking. We don’t always see the immediate fruit of it but one day we’ll look back and see why things happened the way they did. God is faithful, even when we’re not. I’m thankful to Him everyday for saving me and living in me. That’s pretty powerful and we have gifts and words of wisdom to share with others. I’m thankful for faithful women of God like you, Courtney!
Thank you for sharing. I’ve been following you for YEARS (on & off due to my walk with God), and it’s so good to be back on the road that God has planned for me & your site & studying is my GO-TO! Don’t know you personally but you seem to be a very strong & beautiful person! Thank you for being a faithful servant in Gods kingdom work♡