How students of UWT resist the many faces of temptation
Temptation pulls at us every day, but can we rise above it? Students offer their perspectives on how they cope with temptation.
Everyone experiences temptation throughout their life. This differs for everyone, but no matter who we are, we must choose what we’re going to do when faced with it.
Thinking about temptation, I wanted to take a closer look at what people first thought upon hearing the word. After doing some research, the results both surprised and enlightened me.
“First thing that comes to mind is romance,” said Jessica Murray, UWT Student. “And the negative connotation that comes with it. You shouldn’t desire it, but you do— the stereo typical forbidden fruit.”
The word temptation has a religious type of allure to it. But that doesn’t mean an individual, whether they are religious or not, can’t face situations that may alter their mentality or their body.
Temptation doesn’t always have to do with relationships. We can be tempted by all sorts of things such as: overeating, laziness, pride, worry, unkind thoughts, drugs, alcohol and spending money. We might not all fall under all of these temptations, or even most of them, and if yours isn’t on the list, just know you’re not alone when it comes to feeling tempted.
A survey done in 2009 by the Center for Bible Engagement showed that temptation can differ even by gender. The data revealed that 37 percent of the men surveyed were tempted by sex and second was laziness at 3.6 percent. For the women surveyed, 12.4 percent of women were tempted to gossip and 12.1 percent were tempted to overeat.
This got me thinking, what if we were able to remove temptations altogether? For example, a school or professors making all exams open note to take away the temptation of cheating. Can this formula work in all facets of life? The simplest answer is no, because while trying to help in one area, there would be a lack of growth in another.
It would be pretty difficult to live life without facing challenges. Challenges are part of the human condition and how we grow and discover things about ourselves.
In any case, when tempted, an individual must hold themselves accountable. This shouldn’t just be because of their faith, family, friends or community, but for their own sake—to see the strength they truly hold in their heart.
When asked what a temptation really is, Murray responded, “that negative aspect that something has on your life.”
If this is true, then this would mean there is guilt that comes after losing to a temptation. But what do we do afterward? Do we live with the guilt, try to forget or do we try to grow so the temptation doesn’t matter anymore?
“Lead us not into temptation is what comes to mind,” said UWT Student Rance Ramos.
Ramos is right. If something is affecting our lives to the point of breaking us, then we must seek help. We can’t just stay the way we are in the struggle. Even the strongest person can fall short of their goals because of a mistake or a poor decision.
“The standard is set every single day,” said Gabe, another student at UWT. “All I really think about is mostly how to avoid [it].”
In the end, finding self-control is more important than whatever the temptation is. This includes seeking help, even if you don’t feel ready.
UWT offers free counseling with PAWS and Office of Student Advocacy and Support which helps students find strategies to overcome barriers that would prevent them from achieving their goals.
