Today’s verse is one of those oft-misquoted ones.

Have you heard, “God won’t give you more than you can handle”?

Yeah, it’s not in the Book. THIS verse IS in the Book:

The temptations in your life
are no different from what
others experience. And God
is faithful. He will not allow the
temptation to be more than
you can stand. When you are
tempted, he will show you a
way out so that you can endure.

All of us experience temptations. ALL. And my temptation to spend more than I have or to eat more than I should is no different than your temptation to take office supplies home that don’t belong to you or to gossip about that person you work or go to church with or to use drugs or alcohol inappropriately.

Temptation is temptation. It’s a desire to do something, often wrong or unwise.

We need to realize that our temptations are not unique, that others live with them, too. Others are actually thriving even though they endure their temptations.

Huh?? How can that be?

I think it’s because they have learned the secret of taking the way out that God offers. That means of escape God gives us because He knows our willpower is severely limited.

We just have to learn to look for that way of escape before we succumb to that temptation and then run for it.

Just yesterday, Jack and I visited the Girl Scout table outside our local Kroger. We bought our favorite Girl Scout Daisy’s favorite cookies, the S’mores, because we had never tried them.

It didn’t take long for me to realize this was a temptation I couldn’t handle. After trying the ONE I was going to allow myself, I found myself back at the package, seemingly unable to control myself.

I walked to another room and occupied myself, only to have my mind returning to that package of goodness on the kitchen counter.

Using my own willpower, I found myself back at that package, devouring two more cookies. When I asked God to help, He did. My eyes drooped. I was so drowsy that I wasn’t thinking anything. After a few moments my mind refreshed and my thoughts were on the task I was trying to accomplish instead of cookies.

Later, I told my beloved to hide those evil discs of delight so that my temptation would be gone. He stowed them in his truck to take them to work for his snacks through the next week or so.

My cookie adventure may seem small to someone struggling with pills, heroin, or booze, but for me, this overeating thing is just as deadly.

The temptations you face are just as big and just as deadly – sometimes physically, sometimes emotionally, often spiritually.

As we face temptation today, instead of trying to stare it down, let’s take our eyes off it and search God’s way out. Once we see Him, let’s take off running. Not only running away from temptation, but running TO our Rescuer.

Coffee, Bible, Journal.