1 Corinthians 10:13

This verse has always stuck with me, and I often find myself returning to it. What I think Paul was getting at here is that no matter how tempted we are (and boy do I have my temptations), he tells us "God is faithful", and that God won't let us be tempted past what we can handle. This is actually very re-assuring to me. The fact that no matter what I face, no matter how tempted I am or how strong the urge is to act on this temptation, God sees me in a higher standard. God knows that the best version of me, the version that is instilled in me through him, won't fall to this. Whether I can see that version of me or not, it is still within me, and very possible to reach. And that best version of myself, the version of discipline and obedience to God, is reachable. Paul tells us how in the rest of the verse "but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." This leads to me think that *the escape is in enduring the temptation.* I believe that in order to get to that better self, that version of myself that God holds to the highest standards, the version God is forming in me through Christ, is through enduring and falling on him instead of sin. Paul says as much in Romans 5:3-4 > "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." > > \- Romans 5:3-4 This endurance of resisting temptation, this suffering, persevering through it, developing our character into that higher standard that follows obediently our Father in Heaven, is the escape of our temptation.