Was it Worth It?

A moment on the lips is a lifetime on the hips. We’ve heard the phrase before. Especially when our gym partner slaps a donut from our hand. I’m not here to talk about diets, though. What I am more interested in is if we consider this reality in our daily lives.

 

The Python

Was it worth it? Whatever it is you thought a good idea… was it? This question came to me on a flight to Nashville this past week. I was headed there for a work conference, and as I customarily do, I packed a book for the trip. I packed The Spirit of Python by Jentezen Franklin.

Franklin describes that moment in the garden when the serpent tempted Eve. This was a huge turning point for both Adam and Eve. And through reading this book, I wondered if they ever stopped to ask themselves if it would be worth it. Yes, they would get to try the really yummy fruit, but at what cost?

 

Settling for Good-Enough

Adam and Eve’s life didn’t turn out too bad. They did okay. God still gave them dominion over the animals, and later they had lots of babies. Yet, what is most troubling is that they missed out on God’s best because they took the bait. In other words, they sacrificed God’s best to satisfy what would meet their immediate need.

We do that all the time… because waiting is hard. When we don’t get the answers as soon as we think we should have them, we just give up. We give up on God’s best and just take the next best thing.

In the Fight

You might be in that moment right now like Eve was with the serpent. The outside voices might be telling you to just go with it. They tell you: it will work out, people do it all the time… pick this job, date that guy, and eat the donut. We are constantly making these decisions and we forget to consult with the orchestrator of it all.

God says so in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” So if He has the best for us, why not follow His ways? We will always have the choice, but before we make it, let’s ask ourselves if it will be worth it.

How to Prepare

Read the bible. This book is full of wisdom and truths that are still real today. The people in the bible and their hardships are as relatable to us now as any Lifetime movie. There is disease, death, loss of employment, murder, cheating wives, and everything under the sun. God left us these stories with instruction and always a way out. We always have a way out of any situation that may lead us to sin, but first we need to recognize that we are walking into dangerous waters.

Once you read the bible and know God’s desire for your life, then you need to actually live it out. With every temptation, there is always a way out. If not, just think about it. I’ll give a simple example… I’m walking past a donut shop and smell the sugary dough in the air. I walk closer and lean forward to open the door. I can always turn around. There is a way out.

Verses to reflect

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.