Quotes About Temptation

Once he had taken heroin he could imagine being without it;

the desire is overwhelming. Why? Because there is availability without accountability.

Sin is not rational.

When it comes to addictions, we tend to divide humanity into two groups: those who are prone toward addictions and those who aren't. The reality, of course, is very different. All human beings have already fallen into sin.

If addictions are really as prevalent as they seem, we would think that Scripture would be preoccupied with this struggle. And it is.

It is just to say that, for the addict, slavery with the object of desire is sometimes preferable to freedom without it.

Have you ever found yourself flirting with sexual temptation through a long gaze or sexual fantasies?

Addicts have already proven to themselves that there are things in this world that are more attractive to them than God himself, whether it is comfort, power, pleasure, or reputation. Whatever they have worshipped, however, cannot compare to the God who has revealed himself as the One who always says, "I love you," before we say it to him.

When addicts turn away from the Lord and gaze at the object of their desire, God becomes a distant memory. Since one common belief is that God is going to keep us from something good, we try to distract ourselves from remembering him.

Selfcontrol is the skill of saying "no" to sinful desires, even when it hurts.

As a way to practice saying "no," consider small fasts. You could give up food, desserts, computer games, or other activities important to you. This is not a way to punish yourself for what you have done. It is simply a way to have more practice at self-control. Remember that self-control is a skill that develops with practice.

Imagine having drug cravings subdued by the joy of knowing and obeying Christ. Imagine having temptations lose their allure because there is more pleasure in walking humbly with our God. Imagine waking up and strategizing how to please the God who loves you rather than where you will get your next drink. This would be freedom. Sound impossible? It isn't.

If the temptation hooks our desires, we go public. We confess it to a friend, we confess it to the Lord, we get other people praying for us, we ask for counsel that helps us to see that the Serpent is dangerous. Above all, we remember that God's commands are good. They are intended to bless us.

If we make such comparisons, we might be tempted not to speak of the suffering from our hearts to the Lord because we would consider it whining, which it certainly is not.

Sin is not rational. It doesn't make sense. It doesn't look into the future. It doesn't consider consequences, especially if they are not immediate. All it knows is "I WANT—I WANT MORE.

Screwtape warns Wormwood] Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's [God's] will, looks around upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.4

The saint shows (Hom. 86, p. 810) the malice and danger of small faults wilfully committed, which many are apt to make slight of; but from such the most dreadful falls take their rise.

It is an illusion of false zeal, and a temptation of the enemy, for young novices to begin to teach before they have learned themselves how to practise

There is no strength higher than overcoming carnal desire.

Believe me, for certain men at least, not taking what one doesn't desire is the hardest thing in the world.

The temptation shared by all forms of intelligence cynicism.

The devil has put a penalty on all things we enjoy in life. Either we suffer in our health, or we suffer in our soul, or we get fat.

Narcissistic Superstars seldom become beloved leaders. The reason is that they don't understand their followers well enough to inspire trust and loyalty. In the world of Superstars, other people come in two distinct types: those who have something the vampires want, and those who are beneath notice. Superstars can seldom resist the temptation to point out to little people just how little they are.

The quiet conscience is an invention of the devil