“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Have you ever meditated on this Scripture? I have often found strength from it, and I believe there are several important lessons we can learn from its message.

First, no temptation is brand new, so we shouldn’t feel that we are going through something that no one else has ever gone through. It can help enormously to have a friend who has been through a similar situation that they didn’t think they could overcome but God got them through it. Yet even if there is not a friend around who is able to say those words to us, God is there to help us.

Second, God assures us in this verse that He will not allow us to be tested “above what we are able.” Often we feel that we have reached the end of our rope – when we really haven’t. Often we feel that we can endure no more – when we really can. In truth, God knows us better that we know ourselves, and He knows how much we can bear. So He promises that He will never allow that much testing to come.

And finally, God will provide a way out. At just the right time, in just the right way, He will open the door and help us fight temptation. Our limited vision may not allow us to see that at the time, but if we look away from the circumstances, and focus on God instead, He will indeed help us stand up to sin.

So let’s not surrender to temptation. We will be tested and we can get through it if we trust God. Just remember not to underestimate sin; rely on God instead.