Growing Through Temptation

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This chapter of The Purpose Driven Life really made me pause and think about temptation. It’s titled “Growing Through Temptation,” and right from the start, it shifts the way I usually think about temptation. I’ve always seen it as something to avoid, something that exposes weakness or failure but what if temptation isn’t just a test to fail or pass? What if it’s actually part of how we grow?

James 1:12 says, “Happy is the man who does’t give in and do wrong when he is tempted, for afterward he will get as his reward the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” That verse reframes it for me. There’s something purposeful happening when I face temptation- something more than just resistance.

A New Way of Seeing Temptation

Rick Warren writes that every temptation is an opportunity to do good. That line stayed with me all day. Every temptation- big or small- is a chance to choose what’s right instead of what’s easy. That feels so different from how I usually respond. I tend to focus on guilt, now how badly I want to avoid doing wrong but this chapter invites me to focus on the opportunity instead- the change to grow.

Temptation can be a stepping-stone instead of a stumbling block, depending on how I see it. The moment I realize that, something shifts. It becomes less about fear and more about formation.

What God is Growing

Warren reminds readers that Jesus perfectly embodies all the fruit of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control and when the Holy Spirit is shaping character, that’s the kind of fruit He wants to grow in us, too. Here’s the part that hit me most profoundly: fruit doest ripen overnight. Growth takes time, and God develops those qualities by allowing us to face the exact opposite.

We learn love when we’re surrounded by difficult people.

We learn peace when everything feels chaotic.

We learn patience when we have to wait.

It’s so like God to use everyday moments- traffic, misunderstandings, waiting on a an answer- to form something deep inside us. Sometimes it happens quietly, almost invisibly, like fruit slowly ripening on a branch.

Learning My Own Reactions

When I think back over times I’ve been tempted, I can see patterns. Sometimes the temptation is to speak too quickly, to defend myself, or to be right. Other times it’s to give up when things feel too hard to fill emptiness with something temporary.

It’s easy to think of temptation as something that happens “out there”- but the truth is, it starts inside me. It begins with desire, those desires aren’t even bad- they just get twisted when I try to satisfy them my own way. I want comfort, affirmation, and peace. God made those desires, but I look for shortcuts. I chase quick fixes instead of waiting for what He provides.

Warren says something that really rings true: temptation always starts in the mind. The more I think about it, the more I realize how much of my spiritual life happens there- in the quiet, hidden space between thought and action.

The Four Steps I Recognize

As I continued reading, Warren described the four steps that temptation often follows, and honestly, I could see myself in every one.

It begins with desire- something catches my attention, something I want. Then comes doubt- Did God really say this is wrong? That’s usually followed by deception- my mind starts rationalizing, finding excuses. Finally comes disobedience- when I act on what I’ve been entertaining.

Seeing that pattern laid out so clearly makes me more aware of where the battle begins. It’s not just in behavior; it starts much earlier, in what I allow myself to think and dwell on.

When Temptation Feels Heavy

Something that brought me comfort in this chapter was the reminder that being tempted doesn’t make me a failure. Even Jesus was tempted. That means temptation itself isn’t sin- it’s an opportunity.

For a long time, I felt ashamed just for being tempted, like a “good Christian” shouldn’t feel pulled toward wrong things. I am learning that the presence of temptation is simply a sign of being human. The question is not whether I’ll face it, but how I’ll respond when I do.

I am learning to love the idea of this: temptation is actually a compliment. The enemy doesn’t waste time on people who are already walking his way. If I’m being tempted, it’s because I’m trying to move closer to God- and that means I’ve become a threat.

Knowing My Own Triggers

Warren suggests paying attention to when and where temptation tends to show up in our lives. I’ve started thinking about that- what time of day I’m most vulnerable, what situations tend to trip me up, even how I’m feeling when it happens.

For me, it’s usually when I’m tired or discouraged. Sometimes it’s when I’ve just had a “spiritual high” and my guard is down. There’s a pattern there, and knowing it helps. Awareness doesn’t make temptation disappear, but it helps me be more intentional- less surprised when it comes.

Calling for Help

This chapter reminded me that God doesn’t expect me to face temptation alone. There’s this beautiful picture of heaven’s “24-hour emergency hotline,” as Warren puts it. God is always ready to help when I call on Him. The trouble is, sometimes I don’t want to be helped, sometimes I just want to give in.

That’s the uncomfortable truth- there are moments when I choose my own way, not because I don’t know better, but because I think it will make me feel better. Even then, God doesn’t scold me for coming back. He’s never impatient or tired of hearing from me. His mercy doesn’t run out.

I’m learning that in the moment of temptation, I don’t have to fight alone. I can pause and whisper, “Lord, help me.” It doesn’t have to be eloquent. It just has to be honest.

The Deeper Purpose

Temptations, it turns out, are not just obstacles- they are the training ground for our faith. They keep me dependent on God. Like a tree that grows stronger roots when the wind blows against it, my soul grows deeper when I resist what would pull me away from Him.

Even when I stumble, it’s not fatal. Failure doesn’t disqualify me; it just brings me back to grace. The point is to keep turning toward Him, again and again, learning trust in the process.

A Friend’s Thought to Leave You With

As I closed out this chapter, I thought of the line from Martin Luther: “My temptations have been my masters in divinity.” I smiled when I read that. I think I understand what he meant. It’s in those moments of wrestling, not in comfort, that we come to know God more deeply.

The point to ponder for the day is simple but powerful: Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.

So I’ve started to ask myself a new question when I feel that familiar tug: What Christlike quality could God be growing in me right now? Maybe it’s patience. Maybe it’s humility. Maybe it’s courage.

Whatever it is, I want to start seeing temptation as a place where God’s grace meets my weakness, not where I’m condemned because when I look at it that way, even my struggles become sacred ground- places where I can grow a little more like Jesus.