Aspiration; “Lead Us”””

Matthew 6:9–13

When Jesus taught his disciples about prayer, he talked about asking for God’s help during tough times. The Greek word “peirasmos,” which means both “test” and “trap,” is used here. Jesus emphasizes that we need God’s guidance during these difficult times because they can either help us grow or reveal our weaknesses. Jesus tells his followers to always ask God for help to withstand evil during these trials and also shares practical ways to get ready for these challenges.

1. The first step in facing life’s tests is to anticipate them

Christians should expect and pray about the tests and trials they will face in life, seeing them as chances to show honesty, bravery, and kindness. These challenges are not nuisances, but ways to grow and be genuine. Christians should prepare for these tests, knowing that following Jesus means facing difficulties, and trust in God’s help.

2. In trials, the real problem is evil, not pain

Life’s trials are not our actual enemy, but sin and evil are. We must focus on obeying God and ask for His help to overcome sin, realizing that sin is a bigger problem than any situation we face. If we aim for righteousness instead of comfort, we will grow and be satisfied, challenging the idea that Christianity is only about what it can do for us.

3. You should view your tests through the lens of the Father’s love

During trials, Christians can find comfort in knowing they’re children of God, a status given to us through grace. This view helps us understand that even though our sins may cause us to face challenges, God’s love for us is unchanging and as great as His love for Jesus. This belief replaces feelings of anger and guilt with trust in God’s reasons for our trials, and the confidence that He feels our pain and won’t let our trials last longer than necessary.

4. To understand how to face tests, you can’t ignore Jesus’ words, “Pray: Lead us not into temptation.”

Jesus, the beloved Son of God, faced temptations all his life, similar to the three young Jewish men in Babylon who wouldn’t worship an idol, regardless of whether God would help them or not. This shows the right attitude towards God during trials – acknowledging His power to help, but not demanding it, just like the British soldiers at Dunkirk. By seeing Jesus’ own suffering, we can trust that He is with us during our trials and know that these tests can ultimately shape us into something beautiful.