Where Am I Vulnerable? (5)

The third way we face vulnerability is in our longing for approval of others.  We think certain jobs and relationships provide that for us.  God wants us to be successful in meaningful work and caring relationships.  However, Jesus knew that success is only measured by doing things God’s way rather than taking the seemingly easier or shorter way the devil may suggest. 

When Jesus faced the decision of achieving success by the long hard road His Father had planned for Him or the much easier and only “slightly underhanded” shortcut the devil was proposing, His response was, “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God; and serve only him.’ ” (Matthew 4:10))

Sometimes we become vulnerable to temptation through the ideas and plans others bring to us.  In every area of life someone or some group will have an idea that, in a moment, seems appealing to us.  With the help of a mature Christian, we need to determine if this is God’s plan or merely a human idea. 

When Jesus’ dear friend Peter made a suggestion for an easier, softer way than Jesus knew to be the truth, this was Jesus’ response: “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, and not from God’s.”  (Matthew 16:23 NLT) 

At other times we just want our own way and we must resist the habit of demanding, lying, whining, or manipulating to get things arranged the way we want them.  We have to tell Satan to go away and emphasize that we are no longer co-operating with his tactics.  We re-affirm our commitment to God’s plan for our lives and trust that He will meet our needs.

Jesus was obedient to God’s plan.  He consistently resisted and turned away from everything else no matter how appealingly it was presented.  Jesus surrendered His needs to the care of God in every area of His life here on earth.  We must do the same if we are to successfully deal with the vulnerabilities in our way to finding the abundant life that Jesus came to give us.

©2015 Partners in Hope