No temptation

      has overtaken you

that is not common to man.

God is faithful

and He will not let you

be tempted beyond your ability,

but with the temptation

He will also provide

          a way of escape,

that you may be able

    to endure it.

              1 Corinthians 10.13

(Everyone struggles with

                   something.

Learn to walk away,

avoid the obvious potholes,

seek God's way out.

Justifying what I am doing,

   is the first red flag of danger.

Enslavement starts with

     "just once"

  which becomes "just once more"

which becomes

              "it doesn't matter,"

    but always does.

Faithfulness to God

               in our struggles

     always strengthens others

     in theirs,

even their battles

            that are invisible to us.)

O LORD,

We turn to You.

You are our strength,

our shield,

our Savior.

Please help us to follow You

             out of our despair

     into Your victory over it.

What does that look like today

        in tangible ways?

Help us to know

    we are not defined by our past,

but that You redeem

and give each of us

                   a new name

and surround us

       with shouts of deliverance.