Guilt Lasts Longer Than Temptation

At a very early point in my fitness journey, I still hadn’t figured out the nutrition side of things. I’d eat super healthy the first part of the day, and then when nighttime came… so did the cravings. The next morning I’d wake up aggravated at myself. How could I get past this? I knew things would go great from the moment I woke up all the way through dinner. I also knew that as soon as I sat down to relax that night, my favorite snacks would start calling my name. This sounds silly, I know; but it was a vicious cycle that I couldn’t quite get out of.

One day, it hit me. The Lord placed a thought upon my heart that made the connection I needed. “Guilt lasts longer than temptation.” That simple phrase hit home to me in such a huge way. He reminded me that other people struggle with other things as well, not just with food. Temptations are everywhere. Satan has ensured that we don’t go very far without encountering one. If one has to withstand sinful temptations, then why should this be any different for me?

What the guilt can look like

I’ve seen others suffer guilt due to giving in to sinful temptations (myself included). This guilt is something we don’t get over easily or quickly. It hangs on longer than the temptation was around. This guilt is usually tied to long-term consequences; this is why it lasts longer.

When it comes to fitness, giving in to the temptation to skip workouts or to eat junk food on a regular basis won’t just impact your body today. It can cause you to be sluggish and unmotivated the next day. This puts a wrench in the progress you should be seeing and the goals you’re pushing towards.

When you’re tempted to not read your Bible or pray daily, your relationship with Christ will start to dwindle. Some disagree saying it’s not necessary EVERY day. But I once heard someone say “you’re either going forwards or you’re going backwards”. If you spend more time in the world than with Christ, the world will start to take up more space in your heart.

The satisfaction you feel in the moment of giving in is very short-lived.

The weight of guilt

When you give in to the temptations to sin, to eat the wrong foods, to skip workouts, etc., this will keep you from getting where you have the full potential to be. God wants us to experience life! He wants us to grow into the people He’s created us to be. This is both spiritually and physically. We can’t become the best versions of ourselves if we continue to let temptations rule over us.

Tips to overcome temptations

I have grown to absolutely love setting “mini goals”. This applies to both my fitness journey as well as my walk with Christ. Mini goals help keep you focused and on track when you start feeling overwhelmed, tired, or tempted. Set a mini goal to eat your favorite junk food every other day instead of every day… that’s better than every day. Read the Bible for 10 minutes and pray for another 10 minutes. This only 20 minutes out of your day.

Just keep your focus small so that you’re not overwhelmed by viewing the whole picture. You want to get to eating your favorite junk food once a week – you’ll do that by starting small and working up. You want to spend an hour a day praying and reading your Bible – those 20 minutes will gradually start lasting longer as you spend more time in God’s presence.

Find someone to keep you accountable. Let them know your spiritual or fitness goals. Have them check in with you regularly. This needs to be someone you trust and someone you don’t want to let down. This will help push you through when temptation of any kind starts to flare up.

Turning guilt into growth

“We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”, Romans 3:23. BUT “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”, 2 Corinthians 5:17-18. You can use your downfalls as your springboard. When a bone gets broken, it heals to become even strong. Take it as your opportunity to evaluate your heart and mindset. You too can come back stronger. God promises to give us strength. “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint”, Isaiah 40:31.

God wants us to live purposed-filled lives, while Satan wants nothing more than for us to wallow in guilt. When we become disciplined in our fitness or spiritual journeys, we step out of the guilt into the purpose-filled lives God calls us into.

Call to action

Please comment below what God has been showing you along your walk with Him or your fitness journey. I’d love to hear how God has been shaping you into Who He created you to be.

If you missed any of my other blog posts, please feel free to go check them out!

Always cheering you on,

Cassondra