“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 26:41 (NIV)

I am human. It is through my humanness that I relate to others and live the life meant for me here on earth. And, it is through my humanness that I stumble and fall into addiction, deceitfulness, saying hurtful things to and about others, and a plethora of other imperfections.

Thankfully, Jesus’s statement to His disciples in Matthew 26:41 is a reminder to me that I don’t have to rely on my humanness when I am faced with temptation. All I need to do is look to the Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts, my words, and my deeds.

It is important for me to remember that the simplicity of this path away from temptation is paved with consistent prayer and watchfulness of my own behaviors. I can’t just expect to call out in times of trouble and be relieved of cravings, compulsions, and obsessions. I must pray and watch every day, renewing my surrender to God’s will, renewing my willingness to change into the person He created me to be. In this daily surrender and willingness, I am relieved of my weakness and strengthened by His Spirit within my soul.