How Can You Deal With Your Temptations?

“No man knows what he will do till the right temptation comes.” Henry Ward Beecher

Keep this in mind whenever you face your temptations.

At some point in your life, you have faced at least one temptation in your life. When faced that or any temptation that comes your way, there are only two options:

1. Avoid the temptation

2. Accept the temptation

Depending on what the temptation is and what you decide, the outcome could either benefit or harm you. The outcome can also have an effect on the people and opportunities that may or may not come into your life.

Today’s inspiration is about dealing with the temptation that is in front of you. It is easy to run from and avoid temptation, but the only way to successfully handle temptation is to deal with it head on. My goal is not only to share with you what temptation is, but also give you some tools to help you combat your temptations whenever they show up in front of you.

What are your temptations?

If you do not know who or what tempts you, you will never identify your temptations. To understand your temptations, you got to understand the definition first. Merriam-Webster defines temptation as:

1. A strong urge or desire to have or do something.

2. Something that causes a strong urge or desire to have or do something and especially something that is bad, wrong, or unwise.

You can be tempted by various things in your life. Here are 10 temptations that can come up:

1. Sex

2. Love

3. Food (Sweet, Fatty, and Comfort Foods)

4. Lying

5. Breaking the law

6. Money

7. Shopping

8. Drinking and smoking

9. Hobbies

10. People (Family, Friends, Co-Workers, Strangers, etc.)

Whether your temptation is one of the above listed or something else, know that when you are tempted by someone or something, the desire to have or do it will be hard for you to ignore.

Is avoidance the best way to deal with your temptations?

There are countless quotes online about avoiding temptations. There are also biblical scriptures that tell you to avoid and resist temptation. Depending on what the temptation is, the outcome can vary. I want to present to you three facts to consider about avoiding your temptations:

1. You may avoid temptations, but temptations will not avoid you because they come to you with or without your permission.

2. Temptations do not go away simply by you avoiding them. They will either stick around or come back in the form of another person or thing.

3. There will be some temptations that you cannot avoid no matter what avoidance techniques that you use.

Temptations are going to keep coming into your life, and no matter how many times you avoid your temptations, they will continue to follow until you decide to face them and do something about it.

How can you deal with your temptations?

Dealing with your temptations may not be easiest thing in the world to do, depending on the temptation, but if you want to conquer your temptation, you have to stand up and face it head on.

I will break it down into two blocks: if you have time and if you have no time. The reason why is because there will be moments where you will have little to no time to deal with the temptation that is in front of you.

What are five steps required to deal with temptations when you have time?

It is always wise to take advantage of the time you have to prepare yourself for the temptations that you know may be coming your way. Here are five steps to help you deal with your temptations:

1. Identify your temptations.
   • Identifying your temptations give you a starting point of understanding what tempts you.
   • Write, type, or record your temptations in the form of a list.
   • You can continue to add to the list whenever new temptations come up.
2. Research your temptations.
   • Researching your temptations can give you valuable information on what can cause them and how you can deal with them.
   • Research online, at your local library, and through asking people who have had and have successfully dealt with similar temptations as you.
   • As new temptations come up, do the same research to add to your mental library.
3. Come up with a plan to deal with your temptations.
   • Developing a plan can help you handle your temptations with success.
   • Develop a plan respectively for each temptation that gives you the best chance to succeed using steps that are easy to follow.
   • Ensure that your plans also come with flexibility and options in case you face challenges.
4. Gather the right resources and people.
   • Having the right resources and people for the right temptation can help you deal with whatever may come your way.
   • For each temptation that you have listed and done research for, gather the right people who can provide support and guidance.
   • In addition to the right people, gather the appropriate resources to help you prepare to handle your temptations.
5. Deal with your temptations head on.
   • Dealing with your respective temptations with your plans in place gives you the road map for achieving success.
   • Trust in your plans and let everything work accordingly so that you can navigate through the challenges that may come with the temptations.
   • Allow for yourself to learn from the dealing with each respective temptation so that you can revise and adapt your plans in case you see the same temptations in the future.

In applying these five steps, you will be prepared to handle the temptations that you can see coming your way.

What are four steps required to deal with temptations when you have no time?

There will be moments where your temptations will show up without any notice or warning. When your temptations decide to do this very thing, here are four steps to deal with them:

1. Identify the temptation.
   • When you see the temptation, immediately identify the temptation as your starting point.
2. Understand the temptation.
   • Get to know why your temptation is there along with the pros and cons to be informed.
3. Deal with the temptation.
   • With what you know, deal with the temptation and make the best decision for yourself and the situation.
4. Learn from dealing with the temptation.
   • Take the lessons that come from the experience and apply them accordingly in your life.

If you apply these four simple steps, you will be able to deal with the moments that temptations catch you when you least expect it.

Let’s remember that temptations will come regardless if you are ready or not, but if you expect to defeat your temptations, you must deal with them head on.

In the question section, I want you to give thought to the following four questions. Feel free to answer and comment below:

1. What are your temptations?

2. How do you deal with your temptations?

3. How have dealing with your temptations affected your life?

4. What would you recommend to someone who is faced with dealing with temptations?

Your answers and comments can help yourself or someone else deal with your temptations and come out on top.