Why does God allow you to be tempted? It’s a question that many wrestle with no matter what they believe. In pondering it recently, I’m beginning to wonder if it’s actually a benefit to us.

Let’s make one thing clear: God does NOT tempt us, ever. God only allows us to be tempted by the fallen angels. God does not want us to choose against Him, but He allows us to make the choice; that’s why we have freewill. Sin is not something that we happen into, but rather a choice we make about a grave moral matter, with our full knowledge and consent. There are three facets where the temptation to sin can benefit us, but only when we have formed our conscience and are knowledgeable of God and His commandments.

Temptation trains us to recognize sin. It only takes a split second for us to think, “should I do this” or “should I say that?” When we start to realize that we’re questioning our actions and responses, this is our conscience working. While we still may choose against God, once we have had the initial thought about the sin, we can reflect on how our response needs to change for the future. 

Now that we’re starting to identify opportunities to sin, temptation can be used to train us how to resist that temptation. While on earth, we will continue to sin and fall from God’s grace. But instead of bemoaning our transgressions, we can rejoice in the ability to practice resisting. Yes, you may fall, but how long has it been since the last time for this same sin? What were the conditions that encouraged the choice? As we start to listen to our conscience, we provide a feedback loop to our thoughts so that we can understand our decision making process. We may commit the same sin again and again, even when we have the intention not to, but when we reflect on our responses, we can improve our choices over time. 

Saying no to temptation is not just about choosing God’s will. It’s also about asking God for help to choose His will for us. When we practice turning away from sinful opportunities, we should also be asking God, the angels, and/or the saints for assistance. It’s not a pass/fail closed-book test, but rather a phone-a-friend opportunity. We can lean on God, tell Him how hard it is to make our choice, ask Him for assistance in saying no. When we are successful in choosing God over sin, notice the peace that comes with that decision. If there is a saint that struggled in the same way, reach out for their continued intercession. 

Lastly, temptation illustrates how our desires can be misleading. Sometimes we really want that piece of cake, but if we already had one piece — or two — another is not what our bodies need; it is a gluttonous act. Our feelings and desires are good things, but not when we become a slave to them. How we feel will change from moment to moment and will never be fully satisfied on earth. And when that extra piece of cake results in a stomach ache, our desires have brought us harm rather than happiness. 

While we should never actively look for temptation, having the perspective of how it can benefit us can reduce our fear of it and our disappointment when we fall. God uses all things — including our sins, our sufferings, our temptations — to strengthen our relationship with Him.