day 1319: Ridiculous Resistance

 “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him.

Where we live in the Bay Area we have been plagued for the past 14 months by what the weather service is calling an “RRR”.  RRR stands for “Ridiculously Resistant Ridge” of high pressure.  The RRR has kept all of the major rain storms way north of us and even though we finally got some rain this past week, the RRR continues to make the rain go away.  There many things in our work that we need but because someone else holds back the resources, time, or money we just can’t get things done.  When you peel back all of the reasons it always comes down to one person who has made the decision to be resistant.  Sometimes for good purposes, but other times, it will just look ridiculously resistant.  How do we break through this resistance?  Well, like the droughts and rain, sometimes we just have to wait it out.  Consistency and time have a way of eroding resistance.  In other instances, we have to take a stand against the resistance and do what we can to break through by using influence, creativity, data and persistence.  It may be that we feel like we are up against ridiculous resistance right now.  Use what is holding you back to try new ways to push against the resistance. Don’t fret. Each time we come up against one of these, we learn better ways to move forward.  We get better and strong by using resistance to our strengthening.

Jesus was being tempted with all that Satan could offer Him.  Satan offered Jesus power over everything without having to remain in God’s will and having to face what was to come to Him at the end of his earthly life.  We can thank God for Jesus’ resistance against the temptation and force that could have overcome Him.  He didn’t waver or falter.  He put Satan behind Him and he moved forward with His mission and calling. Sometimes in this world we have to be ridiculously resistant to what we are being offered.  Jesus’ overcoming Satan proves that we will never be put in a situation that we can’t, with His support, overcome.  Try being resistant today to that calling inside of us that tempts us toward sin.  We may be glad that we were ridiculous in pushing back.

Reference: Matthew 4:10 (New Living Translation)