This is one of those stories that I can’t ever forget. Feels like something you would only hear about or watch in a Hollywood film. Fighting temptations leaves all feeling disappointed when one gets defeated. Have you ever felt completely stranded, and alone with no help?

It was a great day when I departed on a motorcycle adventure towards the big city. The air was crisp and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. I left my house mid afternoon with nothing too serious on my mind, other than enjoying the day while just making a few stops along the way. The first mistake I had made was making an assumption that I had enough gas in the tank to make it to my favorite gas station 25 miles ahead. Maybe this was out of habit always trying to get the cheapest gas at this one spot or maybe it was out of habit of always assuming that my tank could hold enough gas for 100miles then another 50miles worth in the reserve tank. Either way this short distance trip turned into a real adventure.

I was over mid point to my gas station when all the sudden I felt the bike stuttering for gas. I reached under the tank while still cruising to turn on the reserve tank. Though this time it was already turned on and I had realized that something was wrong. On this particular bike I didn’t have a gas gauge but instead I had to use my trip meter with every fill up to know where I stood.

“God blesses those who Patiently Endure TESTING and TEMPTATION. Afterward they will receive the CROWN OF LIFE that God has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12

Within this brief instant of idling down the straight road, I had remembered that they were doing construction on the gas station within 50 meters of me just past the tree line. In hope of this gas station being reopened, I held my head up but quickly became dismayed as it hadn’t. None the less, I pulled into this gas station and parked my bike in this deserted place. I said a quick prayer with no special words, but more so asking God to help me knowing that He’s perfectly able.

Sinful Temptations Are Hard to Fight

I had chosen to pray instead of get angry at my situation. By no means am I perfect, and I haven’t passed every test, but God is a loving God! If you fail the test that’s fine, but I can assure you that you’ll take it again until you pass!

Before my trip I had even strapped on a gas can that I was going to fill up to leave at the house. Using gas cans for me was very rare, but at this point I was thankful I at least had one so I didn’t have to buy another. After fiddling with the reserve switch, which was clearly turned on, I began to unstrap the gas can but before I finished I looked up.

As I looked right ahead of me, a limo had pulled up then proceeded to roll down his window. All in a single instant, the driver began to ask me for directions and then without hesitation I said, “I’ll give you directions if you give me a ride to the gas station”. The driver agreed to take me to the gas station and told me to get in the back of his stretch limo. My prayer was answered in less than 5 minutes, and I’m thankful I didn’t ask for how God would help me but that He would just help as I’ve never heard of a limousine picking somebody up on the side of the road!

Fighting Temptations To Murmur

In life, we make poor mistakes or other people make the poor mistakes for us but in our time of help it is only a prayer away. Now in my situation, I didn’t have a phone and this limo driver didn’t have a GPS. However, it turned into an amazing story of hope to give God glory to those who hear about it. At this time, I was in a small town called Dawsonville, GA where you hardly even see limos. This was God just proving Himself once again.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

No matter how stranded you may feel, or how helpless your situation feels, there is always hope. When your hope does fail and it appears the area around you is abandoned and there is no fuel to keep you going, don’t give up hope. The answer is probably not what your expecting, or maybe its not how you want your help to arrive, but trust that God is in control of everything. There is nothing that is out of His reach. I would go so far to say that if you lost a job, its because God allowed it, or if you lost a loved one, it is still because God allowed it to happen. The world doesn’t revolve around you or me, but Jesus Christ.

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16

In spite of all that life may bring you, pray, hope, and trust that God is on your side…

I wish I could tell you that there was a secret formula of how God works, and why sometimes He allows bad things to happen to good people, but I can’t. Nor can we try and manipulate God into giving us what we want all the time. Its not about our will, but His. I had nothing to do with how this happened, and it is my most personal miracle that made me feel proud to have a Father above who treats me like royalty.

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many TRIALS for a little while. These TRIALS will show that your Faith is Genuine. It is being TESTED as fire TESTS and purifies gold—though your Faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your Faith remains strong through MANY TRIALS, it will bring you much Praise and Glory and Honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the Whole World.” 1 Peter 1:6-7

“Let no one say when he is Tempted, “I am Tempted by God”; for God cannot be Tempted by Evil, nor does He Himself Tempt anyone. But each one is Tempted when he is drawn away by his own Desires and Enticed. Then, when Desire has Conceived, it gives Birth to Sin; and Sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth Death. Do Not be Deceived, my beloved brethren.” James 1:13-16

Please comment and let me know if you have any unique ways to combating temptation. God bless!