“A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is… A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in.” – C.S. Lewis
This quote by C.S. Lewis has always been a go to reminder for me and an eye opener as to what kind of life and mentality we should carry as people of God who are bombarded and surrounded by temptations everyday. God has called us to be people of deep “awareness” and “sensitivity”. To be constantly aware of our actions, our emotions, and our intentions. He does not want us to avoid temptation, but to acknowledge it. He has not called us to be passive in our decisions and our actions..to just give in to our temptations at the mere second we feel that we can no longer resist. No, our God deserves and requires more from us! He has called us to be active and fully conscious of our actions and to be accountable for them. Justifying our wrongdoings only opens doors to more temptations. Justifying our flawed actions denies the Greatness that our God truly deserves. Justifying our flaws only drags us deeper into sin and instills pride, it acknowledges that we are better than God which in turn denies the sacredness of God. Our God only deserves the best, he does not call us to be weak but He calls us to be STRONG for HIM.
This quote is fitting for the season of Lent, where we are called to sacrifice and fast what is most tempting to us and what we have become a slave to (whether is be sweets, wreck-less spending, gaming, etc…) and to replace that hole with God. This season calls us to be aware and acknowledge our temptations and lift them up by emptying ourselves of these hindrances and filling ourselves up with the grace of God. Yes, we fall…but this shouldn’t be an excuse and we shouldn’t justify our fall. Instead we should RECTIFY our actions and reminds ourselves that “ God deserves ALL of ME!” The sacrifice and fasting that we are offering up to God is a speck compared to the cross that our Lord had to bare. From the above quote “A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie” because Saints have lived through temptations. And so can we!
Temptation is strong, but we are be stronger!
Our Mama Mary affirms us:
If you carry your cross impatiently, you only make it heavier, and add evil to evil.
The way of the cross is the way to heaven. That is why all saints have travelled it.
– The Imitation of Mary