Nobody is free of temptation. It can hit us suddenly when we face set backs and disappointments. But it can hit us even more when life goes smoothly and successfully. How do we deal with undesirable desires?

Temptation is there when something happens that you didn’t expect and that you don’t want. A rejection from your mentor, a sudden unemployment, sickness in your family… How can you cope with the temptation to feel low or depressed? What helps you to keep hope?

Temptation by looking for happiness

It can hit us even more when your life goes smoothly and successfully. We are in a world full of invitations. From all sides advertisements cry to us: ‘love me, taste, buy me, own me…and you will be lucky’. Plenty promises of happiness and freedom around. How do we deal with that? How can we avoid the danger of giving way to all kinds of ‘small ambitions’ while losing our big dream?

The promise of sex

Sexuality is one of these promises. It can be a nice present in an intimate covenant relationship, but it can also be a killing tiger outside such a relationship. How do you cope with it in a new environment, when you feel lonely and you search for intimacy?

Dealing with undesirable desires

In ICF-Delft we started a series of sermons about the life of Joseph, the son of Jacob. He had to live in a foreign country against his will. Still he made a remarkable career. Joseph was invited to exploit his full freedom in giving himself into a sexual relationship with the wife of his boss. What made him to withstand? How was he able to use his freedom in a right way? Somehow, while being a servant, he knew about a greater freedom that he couldn’t give up.

Joseph’s story brings interesting lessons to deal with undesirable desires and discern between what we may welcome as a gift from God and what might kill us in the end if we yield to it.

Hear more in the service of coming Sunday, 10 September in ICF-Delft, Génestet Church, Oude Delft 102. See you there!  Pastor Niek Tramper