Temptation and Endurance

Okay, let me just put it out there and say it for the whole world to hear. “I have a drinking problem.” Wait, that’s not really accurate, let me restate that. “I have a problem with drinking.” No, that is still not correct. “I have a problem and it is related to not drinking.” There we go, that’s more accurate. But let me explain and maybe you can help me solve my problem.

First off, I like to drink beer. More specifically, nice cold IPA beers on the weekend. So when my wife and I went on vacation recently to Kauai, I made sure I stocked the refrigerator at our rental house with plenty of Hawaiian “Big Swell” IPA beer. Every day we went to the beach, or went swimming in the pool, or paddle-boarded, or played golf, and it was so much fun. We were on vacation, so we relaxed our normal constraints and ate and drank whatever we wanted. The only downside was that besides getting nice Hawaiian tans, we also gained some nice Hawaiian weight.

When we got home my wife suggested we start dieting together from now until Christmas. It was more like a healthy eating plan coupled with a structured workout routine. So, without really thinking about it, I agreed and helped write out the fitness programs for both of us. As we got started on the healthy eating plan, my wife explained to me that I wouldn’t be able to drink beer. Yikes! Wait a minute! I need to rethink this whole idea. “Too late”, she said. “You already agreed!”

So herein lies the problem. In my normal routine at home, I don’t drink during the work week but will almost always have some IPA beers on the weekend. I’ve never thought about it that much, or worried about it, but now that I am being told I can’t drink beer… I can’t stop thinking about it! And now that it’s become forbidden fruit, every beer commercial on TV is making me nuts. Why is that? Why is it that when we can have something we like, it’s not a big deal? But take it away from us and it becomes huge.

Maybe its just human nature. Weren’t Adam and Eve given a beautiful world filled with flowers and trees, fish and animals, and plenty of food.  And weren’t they told they could eat anything and everything they wanted, except from that one little tree in the center of the garden, the “Tree of Life”. So what did they do? They went stupid and ate the forbidden fruit. What is wrong with us humans!!!

I’ve been on the program for a while now, so I’m getting used to it, but I definitely have to fight temptation. So I came up with an idea. They say that the only way to break a bad habit is to replace it with a different habit. So I went to the store and bought Gatorade G2, plus two protein juice drinks, Mango Orange and Berry Blast. I take all three and mix them over ice and it creates a really good tasting drink that is healthy. It might sound silly, but when I drink the G2 juice, it not only tastes great, it makes me feel good about myself. Did I solve the problem? No... But I did come up with a way to endure it!

And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. 

But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

~ 1 Corinthians 10:13