Temptations come to people only because of their ignorance. The light of Truth discloses all the secrets of desires, so those desires which might have painful consequences don't look enticing to us anymore.

We are not to battle with temptations through willpower. It is a mistake of many sincere spiritual seekers: they are trying to suppress their "negative" desires, not realizing that their conditions only become worse. According to the law of mind action, when we resist someone or something, we make it stronger in our life. We become attached to those things we fight against. This is why Charles Fillmore and other New Thought teachers insisted that the process of denial (mental cleansing) does not require any strain. "Make denials as though you were gently sweeping away cobwebs".

The key to overcoming temptation is awareness; the key to greater awareness is directed attention. We are to focus our attention at the light within. This light is our divine nature.

Unlike those believers that label people as weak and sinful, Jesus saw them as divine beings. "There is light within a person of light, and it shines on the whole world", says Jesus in the gospel of Thomas. But we should not presume that it is a "strange teaching" from a forgotten Apocrypha. The same message is found in all the canonical gospels!

"Has it not written in your law, "I said, You are gods?"

"The kingdom of God is within you... seek first the kingdom of God".

"You are the light of the world. So let your light shine before men".

According to Jesus, our primary problem is ignorance of who we are and it is the root of all other problems which we call temptations, sins, and sufferings. And the only available remedy is self-knowledge.

One of the greatest temptations is to forget our divine identity and to exchange truth or our being for illusions.
One of the greatest temptations is to be of a low opinion of ourselves, and to buy into such destructive feelings as fear and guilt.
One of the greatest temptations is unwillingness to grow and to rise up again every time we fail.

Once in a while we become attracted by temptations and act in unwise and unproductive ways. But our failures cannot indicate our intrinsic badness. Those mistakes just disclose certain areas in our life where growth and greater awareness are needed.

I agree with Brad Jensen that every challenge is a miracle waiting to happen.

"Think of yourself in a large way, and the little things of life will lose interest for you", wrote Charles Fillmore. This is the best method of dealing with thoughts and desires which we don't want in our life. Let us not fight against them, but substitute them with lofty thoughts and desires.

Let us be aware of our divinity and our living connection with the Source of all blessings. As we stay centered at these exalted ideas, our consciousness will be cleansed from poverty mentality with its fears and selfish desires to grab as much as possible.

Let us be aware of our divine destiny to be expressions of God in our world. Let us be aware of gifts which God placed within us to fulfill this purpose. This will free us from self-centeredness and consumerism, and make us generous givers and divinely inspired creators.

(to be continued)