Today’s Saint

Daily Journey with the Saints


November 8 | Temptation

Saint Godfrey of Amiens

A.D. 1066–1115



When was the last time you were tempted? Like really tempted to do something that you knew was wrong, that you knew would hurt other people, that you knew was destructive to you and to others, that you knew would absolutely not help you become the-best-version-of-yourself?

We all face temptations from time to time. And so did the saints. But the real question is: what do you do with those temptations when they appear?

Godfrey of Amiens took an extremely effective approach: he refused to dialog with his temptations. Unlike most of us, Godfrey grew up in a monastery from the young age of five. He was used to seeing amazing examples all around him of people dedicated to God . . . and to overcoming temptations. As a result, Godfrey is remembered for his zero tolerance policy (for himself and others) regarding temptations of drunkenness, impurity, and many other vices. Eventually, Godfrey became a bishop and lived a great life of holiness that we still remember today. But none of that would have been possible if he hadn’t learned how to deal with the temptations we all face in life. 

Today we live in a culture that doesn’t believe in temptation. We live in a culture that says, "Do whatever you feel like doing." We live in a culture that's confused about the difference between good and bad, right and wrong, light and darkness.

So, when it comes to temptation, how do we deal with it? First, don't dialogue with the devil. Do not enter into a conversation with temptation because you will not win that conversation. As soon as you start that conversation, you have already lost. The reality is that temptation is cunning, temptation is persistent. Temptation will weigh you down, wear you out, confuse your mind, sow doubts in your mind, get you questioning yourself, get you questioning reality, get you questioning everything.

So, the surest way to deal with temptation is: Don't begin the dialogue. Step away from it as soon as you realize it's there. Step away from it because what you're entering into is psychological and spiritual warfare, and you're entering into it with an opponent that is a thousand times more cunning than you are.

We all experience temptation every day. The question is: Are we sensitive to it? Are we aware of it? And do we have a strategy for dealing with it?



HOW DO I DEAL WITH TEMPTATIONS IN MY LIFE?

I will not dialogue with my temptations.


This reflection is brought to you from book title.


Feast Day: November 8

Feast Day Shared By: The Four Crowned Martyrs and Saint Adeodatus I

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