Bug bites are like temptation. I'm serious! The thought occurred to me this morning as I was reading a book ... well as best as I could when I was itching (no pun intended) to scratch the spider bite on my foot. This bite really stinks. I mean, it's big and swollen and it itches like mad! I put anti-itch cream on it and it soothes it for a while, but it's mere minutes until that urge to itch it is back.
Do you see where I'm going with this? Temptation comes around just like bug bites. Everyone at one time or another is bitten by the temptation bug. That bug leaves a swollen welt. The bite itself isn't the problem - itching that that bite is. Just like temptation itself is not a sin, but giving into it is.
How many of us have that temptation bite that is oh so itchy? With one little itch, we tell ourselves, it'll be all better. We reach for the bite, knowing we're going to make it worse, but we do it anyways. I often push aside that thought and begin gently scratching the bite. Suddenly, instead of my bite feeling all better, I'm itchier than before. I get sucked in. I have to keep itching ... and itching ... and itching. Before I know it, I'm bleeding and oozing pus - just like sin! Now, what do I do?
"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13)
So, when I'm tempted to "itch," I will pray to and rely on God, who "will provide the way of escape" from temptation.