“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” (1Co 10:12-14 AV)
Verse thirteen is often used as a standalone verse. We usually apply it to any temptation that may come alone. We use it for trials of faith. We use it for temptations toward sin. The promise is that regardless of what we face, with God’s help, we can and do overcome. Keeping it the direct context of idol worship and self-reliance, it appears as though the temptation from which God can deliver us is the sin of self-sufficiency. Our temptation is to max out our resources, and then when we are empty, we go to God. Sometimes the LORD asks us to do just that. But not always. The better part of wisdom is to go to God first. Let Him show us, guide us, teach us, and empower us to overcome the trials and temptations of self-sufficiency. The idol of what we struggle is our own ego! Having established the context, there is a piercing thought to consider. God will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able. Think on that for a moment. If the temptation to which He is referring is self-reliance, then the LORD will not allow us to get so empty that we cannot survive!
Imagine a hiker off on an adventure without doing his due diligence to plan for all contingencies. He starts out just fine. His goal is to reach the summit of a well-known peak. He knows he will meet some adversity, so he packs a few things. He has some cold weather gear. He has a few food items. He even has fresh water. But not having traveled this path before, every possibility was impossible to forecast. The weather was supposed to be favorable. The way before him had been well trod by those preceding him. Everything looked like it could go perfect. However, as he ascended the slopes, he quickly found that not everything could be anticipated. The further he climbed, the more committed he became and returning the same way became more of a challenge. For hours he climbed. The air was getting thinner. The temperature was dropping quickly. He was running out of water. He was tired. Thinking he could climb to the summit and return the same day, he brought no shelter. If an emergency occurred, he had an ax and some fire-starting supplies. However, because of the thinness of the air, his strength was almost gone. If an emergency happened, he did not possess the strength to wield the ax, gather wood, or build a shelter. Thinking he wasn’t going to make it, he slowly crawled around a corner and came upon a waystation. It was the prettiest sight he had ever seen. There was a cook cabin and six small heated cabins. He had no idea that they would be there. But there they were. Why? Because the provider knew hikers better than they knew themselves. This man was not the first to arrive, nor would he be the last. Before he started out, his benefactors knew he couldn’t make it. So they made provision of which he could not foresee.
God works in much the same way. We often rely solely on our own ability, resources, and resolve. We are also brought to the end of ourselves far more than is necessary. If we started our journey knowing there was a waystation that awaited, the journey would be much easier to bear. That is what the LORD is giving us. In verse thirteen, there is a promise of a waystation. There is relief. We just cannot see it. Faith assumes it. This is to what Paul is pointing us. Corinth was a very carnal church. It was overly humanistic. All the troubles that church had could be pointed to one problem. They elevated man above the God who saved them. There is no reason to attempt anything without God. It is actually downright foolish. There is a waystation. Look for it. Expect it. And when it appears, take advantage of it. Without God we are stuck on the side of a mountain with no strength to continue.
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