FLEE

I’m sure most of you have read the story of Joseph. Often people think of his coat of many colors or about his amazing gift to interpret dreams, but there is an important lesson right in the middle of the story that may not get consideration.
My entire life I have found myself convicted by what I say and how I say it. I grew up around people that were often critical; therefore I found at times that I projected the same kind of attitude when I didn’t like a situation. This, of course, easily sucked me into a gossipy gripe circle.

In Genesis 39, Potiphar’s wife begs Joseph to sleep with her and in verse twelve, it says, “He fled from her presence.” This made me contemplate the things which tempt us, and the situations that come our way that tests us. Do we flee or take the easy way out? Wouldn’t it have been much easier (and probably more pleasurable) for Joseph to give into the temptation?

Back to my “foot-in-mouth disease.” For years I struggled with watching what I say. I was tempted almost daily to express how I really felt, rather than give the situation to God. When I finally began to submit, swallow my pride, and let God handle whatever it was, I began to grow.
Temptation only happens when something is important to us. If your temptation were to eat a gluttonous amount of tomatoes each day, it wouldn’t be a problem for me. I hate the smell, flavor; basically everything there is to do with tomatoes. That would never be a temptation for me. My husband hates chocolate, so he isn’t swayed by the huge piece of chocolate cake I might be consuming. My point? If you don’t care about something, if you actually despise something, then it isn’t a temptation any more. We’re called to “hate sin.” If your temptation is drinking, you’ve got to get to a point where you actually hate alcohol. You’ll never break free if you’re “testing the waters.” If your temptation is gossip, then you need to begin to see gossip for what it is, evil, and begin to despise it.

Whatever you’re going through, whatever God has asked you to stop doing, remember that Joseph’s story didn’t end with his being tempted. Yes, he went through some hard times for fleeing temptation, but in the end, God blessed him. Trust me, sleeping with her would have been easier and I’m assuming more pleasurable, but it would have been wrong. It would have caused Joseph a wedge between God and him. It probably wasn’t easy, but it was right.

Remember, if you flee from temptation, God will honor that. Let us draw near to God and He will draw near to us.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.