Grieving Your Loss

In some ways the essence of temptation is loss. And the question that goes with temptation is, “What will I lose?” or at least, what is the perceived loss?

From the first sin of Adam and Eve we can see what they were afraid of losing. They believed the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil could give them something superior to their current pursuit of righteousness. They were, in fact, tempted by a good thing, a spiritual thing – the desire to know what is good and the ability to avoid what is wrong. I think most things we are tempted by can be seen as good things: certainly we are only tempted by what we desire.

When faced with their temptation in the Garden, Adam and Eve could only resolve their circumstances by losing something. Either they would choose to honor God and trust in his provision and lose the ability to gain the special knowledge and wisdom they believed the fruit would provide. Or they would choose the fruit as a pathway to spirituality apart from God’s provision and lose something of the intimacy of that relationship.

Either way, when the decision had been made and all things done, they would feel the loss. What would have happened if we had…? That is what makes it temptation. Of course the stronger the desire, the deeper the sense of loss. If we choose wrong, we lose something of righteousness and relationship – and we will feel that loss. If we choose well, we lose the pleasure or reward we desired in the first place – and we will also feel that loss.

Innocence lost. Naiveté gone. So, this is what the world really looks like. Jaded, Cynical. Aren’t these just responses to our loss? Satan deceives, then he accuses.

Thank God for Jesus and restoration.