Have you ever dreamed of having a room with a trapdoor? I remember being enchanted by the concept of a revolving bookcase. My wife used to imagine there was a secret door under her bed that led to a hidden library—filled with bunnies!
When we hear God’s promise in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that in every temptation “he will also provide the way of escape,” it can be comforting: He will not let me be tempted beyond my ability! There is a way out! It can also be frustrating: But where’s the trapdoor?
The tricky bit is that many escape hatches are secret, hidden, or hard to find. Often, we feel trapped in temptation and cycles of sin because we know in theory there’s some way of escape—after all, God is faithful—but we think the way of escape must be hidden by some secret lever or false wall.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The way of escape isn’t a trapdoor. It’s not a hidden passage. God’s way out is as plain and obvious as a bright red EXIT sign: Escape from temptation begins by confessing that temptation to someone else.
The trapdoor of temptation has a face and a name. It’s a brother, a sister in Christ. We feel trapped when we are alone in temptation, but the moment we confess the truth to a fellow believer, the temptation loses its power, and the light of the gospel begins to flood in.
Don’t try to flee temptation alone. Grab the hand of a brother or sister you love, tell them about it, and run to Christ together.
Escape Reads
Have you ever begun a highly recommended book, perhaps one you’ve been excited to read for quite a while, and you get about 15 pages into it and realize:
Unfortunately, it will not live up to the hype, it will be an absolutely slog, the author is not as poignant and witty as you’d hoped—and you’re one of those weirdos that can’t quit a book once you’ve started it (guilty!).
Sometimes, there is virtue in persevering when a book is not all that enjoyable or entertaining. But other times, you just need a book that’s going to be an escape. You know, the kind that captures your full imagination and draws you into another world.
The most recent novel to do that for me was Herbert’s Dune. I read it for the first time recently, and it was the first book in a long time that had me subconsciously thinking about its characters, plot, and universe as I went though my day.
I would love to hear from you—what are your escape reads?
I recently finished “Pilgrim’s Progress.” I hope to engage in more fiction reading. May give your recommendation a try!