The New Day

            There is a saying that goes, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life." It kind of describes the feeling of being able to go on after we have failed in one thing or another. Failure does happen. Usually, when it does, we find ourselves pretty low or down in the dumps. In my high school track days, I won my first ever 880 yard race and even got a little blue ribbon. I felt pretty good but our competitor was a much smaller school than we were. I did rather well in the races in the next few months until we came to the County track meet. This was a bit different since we were running against the big county school. The best I could do was a third place and thought I was going to pass out before I got to the finish line. No blue ribbon that time. It was white and said, “Third Place.”  We could have done better but, we didn't and then we suffered a bit of a fall which usually dampens your spirit when things end up with you not being on top. Losing takes place now and then when you are in competition with someone else. We may feel that no one has gone through this type of thing; that it is peculiar to us. That isn't true. Notice the following verse of Scripture. First Corinthians 10:13 says, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 

           Losing a race is one thing, but finding yourself the victim of temptation is another. First of all there is not any temptation that is purely unique to you. You are not the first person to have to go through this temptation. Someone, somewhere has done it before. So, don't think that something that is going on in your life is only happening to you and will never be the same in some other person's life. Someone, somewhere, can say, "Been there, done that." Secondly, there is always a way of escape. The problem is that we often refuse to take the way out when it comes right in front of us. We either enjoy what is going on and desire to remain where we are or we think that we can handle it and seek to provide our own way when we think it is appropriate. If we refuse God's way of escape, then we are left on our own. But, what happens when you submit to the temptation? I suppose that never happens in your life but it does happen in some lives. That is where we need to realize that "Today is the first day of the rest of our lives." Things can change. We can make it with the Lord's help. When sin does occur then it becomes necessary to plead the promise of First John 1:9. We need to confess our sin before Him and He will restore us to the fellowship that we once had. So, there are really two thoughts here. First, your temptations are common to everyone. Don't think you are unique. Secondly, when we do sin, then we need to come to God in confession and He will restore us. So, how are you doing today? Are you making it all right? Is there a special temptation that is knocking on your door? Then, turn to the Lord. Look for His way of escape and then take it. Praise Him for providing for our every need.