No one is to say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
Have you ever wondered, “Why God?” We wrestle with this question in hard points of life, when we don’t know what is next. In a moment of chaos and hardship, it is easy to point the finger at God. It is easier to point the finger at someone else than to search for our own fault in a situation. In this passage, James acknowledged this tendency. Even (and especially) when we are in sin, it is easier to blame someone else. Yet in temptation, there is no space to blame God. James made clear God is never the source of our temptation. We are tempted by our own flesh and sin nature. God is the only reason our sin can be redeemed. He is our loving Father who has offered grace and forgiveness through Jesus.
We live in a fallen world, and we have a fallen nature. We will encounter brokenness in the world, but it is not God’s fault. We can come to Him with our struggles and temptations, and He will help us through. Hebrews 4:16 reminds us, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” This is to be our approach to God in the challenges of life, not looking at Him as the reason for our struggle, but rather as the source of our hope.
- How have you been tempted recently? How did you respond?
- How can we go to God for help in times of temptation and other hardship?
- Pray and ask God to help you through the temptations you are facing.
