THE TEST OF CHARACTER

Psalms 119:115 Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.

A man was complaining about the world’s many temptations. Whereas it is true that this world offers the glitter, the gold, and everything our soul is made to lust after, the intensity of temptation can also be aggravated by the company we keep. Indeed, if we put a large buffer zone between us and temptation, we will not have such a hard time with it.

Our senses, physical and metaphysical are sensors that bring to our heart the emotional and audio-visual input with which they are constantly bombarded. Thank God, we have a filter. This filter is called “the conscience”, and this conscience needs to be programmed and activated by the Holy Ghost. Sometimes, in fact often, the nemesis of our conscience is our own selves. Indeed, we are the ones who often fight the spiritual configuration of our conscience, and therefore end up freezing the whole machine.

Our conscience screams at us, “Get out of this relationship even though it feels good” “Do not take this job even though the money is good” “Can this friendship even though you find it fun” “Don’t spend money you don’t yet have” “Don’t read this book/watch this movie/go on this web site”. It often gives us sound counsel such as, “Talk to your spouse about this decision” “Take time with your children/ead spiritually feeding material/attend a spiritual fellowship” “Eat healthy”

It takes a person of character to buck the tide of peer-pressure and say like King David,“Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.”

“Lord, please help me to do the right things even though my senses scream out to do the wrong thing; help me to rebuke these influences that would make me break your commandment; be my strength when I am weak!”

Romans 7:14-25 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. (15) For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. (16) If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. (17) Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (18) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (19) For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (20) Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (21) I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. (22) For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: (23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.