The Devil Nearly Won

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.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)

The devil nearly won this round.
 
Gordon-Conwell Seminary offered me a generous $5000/year scholarship. Thank you God, right? I simply had to maintain an acceptable GPA and attend full time – 4 classes spring/fall and 2 over the summer. Even better, 10 was the minimum – I could gobble up as many classes as I wanted at no
additional cost.
 
When applying, I planned to dip my toe into seminary by taking one class per semester. That quickly became two because I could schedule them together and maximize my hour commute. As my excitement over the course descriptions grew, three courses sounded feasible. One more would make me full time. Why not accept the scholarship and dive in?
 
The scholarship was enticing.
 
My thoughts wavered daily. The workload would be tough but I’d save $15,000 getting my degree. I investigated weekday housing options to reduce commute time. I consulted friends and attended orientation undecided.
 
After “Where are you from?” orientation discussions shifted to “Why are you here?”
 
That was the decisive moment in my battle with the devil’s temptation. God, in the form of fellow students and professors, helped me resist the lure of money.
 
I’m in seminary to delight in His Word, absorb the knowledge and let it transform my soul. Plus, I hope to maintain my writing and share my discoveries with you. I don’t care about the degree, I want to revel in the process. A frenetic pace would ruin everything.
 
Today’s score: God 1, devil 0.

God helps us avoid temptation. (tweet this)

How is the devil luring you away from God’s purpose for your life?

#SeedsofScripture #leadusnotintotemptation

2 Comments

  1. Denise on September 20, 2017 at 6:38 PM

    Wow – insightful to see such a "good" thing as not from God. I'm always reminded that Jesus said to Peter "Get behind me Satan." Our enemy can use the things we love the most to derail us. Good for you in discerning why God has you in Seminary. Look forward to hearing more!

  2. MarkT on September 25, 2017 at 2:30 AM

    You made the right decision
    Having time to reflect on your learnings will help. This process should not be hectic.

Leave a Comment





Spend a few minutes to plant a quick Seed. Or stay longer and plant a whole garden.

Each post is a brief scriptural thought that will grow as you let it take root in your thoughts.  If you have time, dig into one area of interest and plant a whole garden.
Each post is a brief scriptural thought that will grow as you let it take root in your thoughts. If you have time, dig into one area of interest and plant a whole garden.

Receive Seeds of Scripture by email.

Please enter your name.
Please enter a valid email address.
Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Archives