Moment by Moment

As of late the phrase 'moment by moment' has been running through my head. I don't know what started it, but most likely failing to resist a temptation.

I was so excited when I learned what I'm about so tell you that I just had to share it, maybe you've already discovered this, and this is old school. :) But just the same, I'm excited.

Resiting temptation isn't a year by year thing, nor a month by month thing, nor week by week, nor day by day, nor hour by hour, nor even minute by minute ... it's a moment by moment (second by second) thing.

It's more than just getting up in the morning and praying, "Lord helping me to resist temptation today," and then not think about it (or praying about it) again. It is moment by moment, begging, pleading, praying that the Lord would grant the strength to endure the temptations He brings to change and mold us ... to refine us. To make us like Him.

So often, after failing a temptation, I think, "Why did I fail again?" and the answer is; first because I didn't want to, if I had really and truly wanted to, I would have said no, but I gave into the desires of the flesh, and secondly because I didn't ask for help. I didn't ask moment by moment for grace and strength. I may have asked at one point in the day, but I need to ask moment by moment and even more than that when I'm actually in the temptation.

But also, we need to remember that resisting isn't our doing, it's God working through us because apart from God we can do nothing ... not even resist temptation. Yet at the same time we can do all through Christ Who strengthens us! But it has to be through Christ! So when we have victory over sin, over temptation, do we thank Christ for His strength? Or do we just think we're doing great and hope we can make it next time too?

These are just thoughts that have been on my mind, as I said, and have been making me stop and pray for grace and strength, (not as often as I should, but trying to) or to stop and thank Him that He is working in my life.