Making it Through the Moments

"You didn't even try to resist, did you?" her head dropped despairingly as she choked back tears.  I was trying not to be angry, grateful she had trusted the safety of a mother's heart for confession. Yet I pressed her for reason as to why she couldn't resist the temptation of the moment.  I breathed deeply His strength and exhaled grace.  I, too, had once (and even still) had to fight temptation in a loosing battle like the one she faced.  I set my shoulders to lean in and more gently remind her, "These are only moments... passing pieces of time leading into the next.  You only have to hold on for a moment."

It is a theme echoed in my midst this week, even in the verses I soak up from my morning Bible reading.  Psalm 30, a familiar one sung on Sundays but often forgot in those moments of fleeting temptations.  It struck me deeper this week, though, as I look to my children growing and facing new and bigger challenges.  As I look to a world now which resembles little of the one I grew up in.  Black and white are replaced by gray and fleshly desires surrendered to are praised more than ever before.  How do we resist?

Resist snapping at our loved ones because we just don't want to muster the strength to act in love.

Resist giving up the coveted spot in line while making a million excuses why we don't have time to let the person with fewer or quicker go first.

Resist desires or secret addictions because, after all, God gave grace and it is much easier to give in.

Resist dark thoughts and succumbing to deep sadness because we don't want to try to understand or order our universe according to Divine control....

Resist trying to control everything because surrendering ALL things to God's hands means we are helpless.... right?

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God 
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith 
into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces 
endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 
and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured 
into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

- Romans 5:1-5

Resisting is often harder than surrendering.  We suffer when we resist but Romans 5 tells us suffering brings growth and, ultimately, Glory to God.  The more we resist, the strength to resist grows and the hope to continue with battle after victorious battle makes winning so worth it!

Psalm 30 glared at me this week because of this.  Like the Titus meets Proverbs idea of process and results, I saw HOW we resist to grow into the Romans 5 form and reflection of growing in faith and hope in Christ.  Psalm 30 tells us these challenges, temptations, trials and hardships are temporary.  As I told my daughter recently.... they are a moment.  A moment which feels like forever when, in truth, it is only fleeting.  Yet, how we respond in that momentary affliction is what becomes lasting.

Do we snap and walk in regret for hurting feelings or causing strife?

Do we hog our spot yet knowing the distress we are causing someone else and the opportunity missed to share and show the love of Christ?

Do we give into that secret thing knowing it is an act of betrayal or breaking God's heart and essentially blaspheming the Spirit, leaving a trail of guilt for many moments after?

Do we wallow un-necessarily in sadness and hopelessness when God is ready and waiting to wash us with joy and hope.... even in the darkest moments.... spending countless hours simply lost?

Do we hold so tight to control, no moment seems to carry peace for the suffocating weight of it all?

Some moments are blinks.... others are longer but ALL are just moments.  In the grand scope of eternity and our temporary passage through this place their transitory existence is not worth the loss our lack of resistance will cause.  Simply put: if each temptation to do and be good vs. bad is recognized as fleeting we can than except our need to resist is equally temporary.  We do not have to resist every minute of every day from now until eternity.... we only need to resist in this minute of this day and then enjoy the beautiful character building joy that awaits our wise choice.

It may not always be easy.... but it is simple.

I pray you may find the strength for each temporary moment to claim victory for all the moments and eternities which come after!

Blessings,

* The Psalms graphic in this post is available for sharing on my Facebook page