“To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock: Do not be silent to me, Lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit” (Psalms 28:1)  

For David, who many times barely escaped being killed by King Saul by trusting God’s Word, this was no flippant request. He knew if he got out from under God’s Lordship, he would suffer. But He trusted God’s promise he would be made king one day, and stayed submitted to the Lordship of God, even though he was tempted to “take the easy way out”, and kill Saul. 

 If God has saved you, like David, you should be confident in the promises of God. Here’s one you should write in bold letters on your heart: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). The Greek words translated “able to bear it” mean, “able to stay under”. For the saint, this means, when you’re tempted to “take the easy way out”, you must stay under the Lordship of Christ by faith. 

 God will not allow His saints to be tempted beyond what they can resist, as long as they stay under the Lordship of Christ. “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4). The Greek word translated “patience” is Hupomone, which means “stay under”. To the extent you stay under the Lordship of Christ in trials, you will be “perfect and complete, lacking nothing”.

 Unfortunately, many saints don’t trust God’s Word and “take the easy way out” when tempted. If you stay submitted to the Lordship of Christ, He’s promised to walk with you THROUGH the trial, and the experience will make you more useful to Him. This is the sanctification process. For more on this subject, click here.