Eliminate temptation
“The source and cause of all temptation is in the inward desire; that being purified or eliminated, outward objects and extraneous powers are utterly powerless to move the soul to sin or to temptation.”
— James Allen
Reflection
Allen says that “the source and cause of all temptation is in the inward desire,” not merely in the outward object. That is both sobering and freeing. It is sobering because it means the battle is not primarily “out there”—in screens, substances, or situations—but “in here,” in what we secretly crave. It is freeing because it means victory does not depend on rearranging the whole world; it depends on letting God reorder our desires.
Temptation gains power by promising to satisfy something good in a wrong way. The desire to be comforted, noticed, respected, or relieved is not evil in itself. But when we try to meet those longings through shortcuts that violate conscience, we end up more empty than before. The outward behavior is just the visible tip; the inner desire is the root.
If you only fight temptation at the surface level, you will stay exhausted. You will keep asking, “How do I stop doing this?” instead of, “What am I really seeking when I reach for this?” Allen would have us face that deeper question. When you bring that hidden desire to God and ask Him to fill it rightly, the lure of the wrong thing begins to fade.
Eliminating temptation, then, is less about gritting your teeth and more about cleansing the source. As your inner desires become purer, the old bait simply does not look as attractive.
And that’s worth thinking about.
— Vic Johnson
Putting It Into Practice
- Think of a recurring temptation and ask honestly, “What good desire am I trying to satisfy when I give in to this?”
- Bring that desire to God in prayer and ask Him to show you a healthier, holier way to meet it.
- Remove one practical trigger for this temptation while you work on healing the desire beneath it.
One Question To Ponder
If every temptation in your life is connected to an inner desire, which desire most needs God’s cleansing and reordering right now?
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