The Power of Temptation

Never underestimate the power of temptation. Just because you withstood temptation once, does not mean you will not fall prey the next time—or two or three. Better to think in terms of “once a temptation, always a temptation,” and plan your life accordingly.

We get tempted more because of something in us than in our seemingly seductive environs. So rather than blame an attractive person for our sexual temptation, we need to look at our own lust. This is just as true for addicts: they have to take responsibility for their addictive nature and/or biology, rather than blame the drug of choice.

The problem is, we do not like to admit our weaknesses and failings. We would rather look at someone or somewhere else to lodge “blame.” According to the Biblical narrative of Genesis, we humans have sought to “pass the buck” of responsibility for acting on our temptations since the very beginning of our history. As the story goes, upon being found out for having disobeyed Creator God’s direct orders not to eat of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God asks first the man, Adam, and then the women, Eve, to explain their behavior. Instead of taking full responsibility for his giving way to temptation—a really powerful temptation, to be like God—Adam attempts to implicate God, seeking to place some blame on the deity. To paraphrase, he brazenly tells God, “The woman whom you made for me and gave to me, she ate first and gave the fruit to me. What was I to do, for after all, she is of your design?”

God turns immediately to Eve, who continues Adam’s lead of seeking to shift responsibility away from herself. Again to paraphrase, Eve says, “The serpent, who belongs to your garden, he tricked me, so I ate. But did I say he tricked me? Otherwise of course, I never would have disobeyed.”

A recent psychological study at Northwestern University found that persons are generally not as good at resisting temptations as they think they are. Dr. Loran Nordgren, the lead researcher, said, “People are not good at anticipating the power of their urges, and those who are the most confident about their self-control are the most likely to give into temptation.” Though the subjects of these studies were college students, the results nevertheless address us all.

As a consequence, first we really need to be aware of the nature of our temptations. Abandon your denial, as it is only working against you. To do so, face with the truth as best you ca—often with the assistance of a counselor—and stay there. Recognize and accept your addictive nature, which is true in varying degrees to us all.

Second, be conscious of those situations likely to prompt you to cave into temptation. If you are a chocolate-addict, do not go into a chocolate shop. Like the vaudeville joke put it: “Doctor, doctor, it hurts when I do that.” “Then don’t do that!” answers the doctor.

The ancient sages called this “known occasions of sin.” These are places and situations we must simply avoid if and when possible. Recovering alcoholics should not be spending time in their favorite taverns of old.

According to this recent study, when persons are farther away from the sources of their temptations, they easily underestimate the power of temptation when they enter into the “heat of the moment.” On a diet? You know what tempting foods not to have on hand.