Thankful for Temptation

As Christians, we realize that temptation is an inevitable occurrence. Satan is always lurking, always planning, and always scheming. I think most of us look at temptation as a hindrance. Temptation is something we must endure and certainly, we pray for God's aid in overcoming temptation but how many of us ever thank God for allowing temptation in our lives?
In the gospel accounts of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, we get a glimpse into how God uses the trials of Satan to benefit the believer. In Mark's gospel, the temptation of Jesus is played out in just two verses, yet they tell us so much. "At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him." (Mark 1:12-13) Did you notice that? Mark says that the Spirit "sent" Jesus out to be tempted. One thing we can learn from this is that if Jesus could not escape temptation then certainly it is impossible for us to escape being tempted. More than that, we learn that it is part of God's plan to use temptation to better the lives of those he loves.
God allows temptation as part of his plan for our lives. He doesn't allow temptation to come upon us so we will fail, quite to the contrary, he promises that we will not be tempted beyond what we can stand. Temptation is allowed in our lives to make us stronger. It is part of the transformation of becoming Christ-like. When Jesus faced Satan in the desert his temptations were real, the things Satan was offering were appealing to him. After fasting for forty days, Jesus was famished so the devil enticed him to turn rocks into bread. "Come on Jesus, you created those rocks! Use your power to stop the hunger." After a long month of solitude, no doubt Jesus was feeling an urgent desire to begin his ministry so the devil offers up a "solution" to jump-start the process. "Throw yourself from the top of the temple, God won't let you get hurt, and people will be amazed!" With Jesus' desire for everyone to believe in him in overdrive, Satan throws down the gauntlet. "You want them, you got them. Just bow down and worship me." Jesus was tempted body, soul, and spirit yet emerged unscathed because of his use of three powerful words, "It is written. . ."
When we face temptation, we can learn from Christ and emerge victorious by relying on the word of God to help us navigate Satan's snares. God allows temptation in our lives as a testing/refining process. Temptation, and how we deal with it, is meant to make us stronger. Even when we make a mistake and succumb to temptation, we can still rise from the ash heap with the power of God's grace. This is why Paul writes in Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. . ." By allowing temptation in our lives, God is strengthening us for the journey. I think we should thank God that he loves us enough to desire that we have a stronger, deeper faith.