Don’t Go Near the Chip!
By Jen Wollner
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
Matthew 26:41
By Jen Wollner
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
Matthew 26:41
Chocolate and I have what you could accurately call a love-hate relationship. I hate that I love it so much! I can say “no” to just about anything else, but not chocolate, particularly the dark variety. I’d love to blame my obsession on hormones or the bio-chemical need for antioxidants, but it really just comes down to a lack of self-control.
Several weeks ago, I was making chocolate chip cookies for my kids. I had vowed to not eat even one because, well, quite frankly, there’s no such thing as just one chocolate anything. As I was putting the cooled cookies in a container, one lone chocolate chip fell onto the counter. Without even thinking, I picked it up and put it in my mouth. Oh, it was good! As a matter of fact, it was so good that I picked up an entire cookie and ate it…and then another…and before I knew it, one chip had turned into several cookies. I was horrified at what I had just done! Not because eating a couple cookies is so terrible, but because I literally did it without thinking. How could I let a single chocolate chip snowball into several cookies? It’s actually quite simple…I wasn’t paying attention. I let my guard down for just a second and that’s all it took to get into trouble.
That’s how temptation to sin is for us, isn’t it? Before we even know what we’re doing, one seemingly small thing turns into something much bigger. Maybe we find ourselves in a situation where we are tempted to verbally judge the actions of another person. We decide to share just one little piece of “constructive criticism” and before we know it, we’ve spewed all kinds of harsh words, wounding a relationship. Or, maybe we are out window shopping and decide to buy one small item…it’s no big deal, it’s on sale. Then, before we realize it, we’ve spent way too much on things we don’t really need, adding more debt to our already stressful financial situation. It’s so easy to fall into temptation and rationalize our actions, at least until we suffer the consequences and have to pick up the debris left behind by our poor choices.
“Watch”…be aware of possible temptations…. “And pray”…be spiritually equipped by the strength of God to fight them.
Let’s resist the chip…and avoid the tummy ache that goes with eating the whole batch of cookies!
GOING DEEPER:
1. What sin issue tempts you the most? What can you do to stay alert and self-controlled?
FURTHER READING:
Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 Peter 5:8
Jen and her husband are busily parenting three children under the age of 6. Jen heads the Fresh Start ministry and is on the leadership team for Mission: Hope, Oakwood’s orphan care ministry.
Several weeks ago, I was making chocolate chip cookies for my kids. I had vowed to not eat even one because, well, quite frankly, there’s no such thing as just one chocolate anything. As I was putting the cooled cookies in a container, one lone chocolate chip fell onto the counter. Without even thinking, I picked it up and put it in my mouth. Oh, it was good! As a matter of fact, it was so good that I picked up an entire cookie and ate it…and then another…and before I knew it, one chip had turned into several cookies. I was horrified at what I had just done! Not because eating a couple cookies is so terrible, but because I literally did it without thinking. How could I let a single chocolate chip snowball into several cookies? It’s actually quite simple…I wasn’t paying attention. I let my guard down for just a second and that’s all it took to get into trouble.
That’s how temptation to sin is for us, isn’t it? Before we even know what we’re doing, one seemingly small thing turns into something much bigger. Maybe we find ourselves in a situation where we are tempted to verbally judge the actions of another person. We decide to share just one little piece of “constructive criticism” and before we know it, we’ve spewed all kinds of harsh words, wounding a relationship. Or, maybe we are out window shopping and decide to buy one small item…it’s no big deal, it’s on sale. Then, before we realize it, we’ve spent way too much on things we don’t really need, adding more debt to our already stressful financial situation. It’s so easy to fall into temptation and rationalize our actions, at least until we suffer the consequences and have to pick up the debris left behind by our poor choices.
“Watch”…be aware of possible temptations…. “And pray”…be spiritually equipped by the strength of God to fight them.
Let’s resist the chip…and avoid the tummy ache that goes with eating the whole batch of cookies!
GOING DEEPER:
1. What sin issue tempts you the most? What can you do to stay alert and self-controlled?
FURTHER READING:
Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 Peter 5:8
Jen and her husband are busily parenting three children under the age of 6. Jen heads the Fresh Start ministry and is on the leadership team for Mission: Hope, Oakwood’s orphan care ministry.
