“During this earthly pilgrimage our life cannot be free from temptation, for none of us comes to know ourselves except through the experience of temptation, nor can we be crowned until we have come through victorious, nor be victorious until we have been in battle, nor fight our battles unless we have an enemy and temptations to overcome.” – Saint Augustine, AD 418
And yet, do we REALLY believe this? Do we believe that life cannot be free from temptation? I would venture to say that most people reading this would agree with Augustine’s statement. But does our conviction about this lead us to be honest about our temptations or to still deny them in the name of creating a false narrative about ourselves? Are we honest about our journeys–honest with God, with others, with ourselves–or are we so consumed with pride and self-preservation that we cannot admit the battle that we face daily?
