One of the things that I have learnt in life is that what defines you is not what you do when everyone is watching but when you are alone. The true test of one's character is what they do and how they behave when no one is watching. Behind close doors, who are you and what do you do? Your truth self is revealed when you are alone. Trust me, temptation always manifests in the quiet moments. When a voice starts to whisper to you that "no one is watching," then you are a about to be presented with temptation. It is by standing strong with integrity, strength, and on the side of rightness, that will prove that you are a better human.
It is worthy to note that temptation does not always come with a tag that it is temptation. Sometimes it may come subtly through chats, messages, website, desires of the flesh, what you see, your hidden thoughts, etc. This is because, when the secret parts of you have been taken over by unwholesome thoughts and vain desires, they will begin to manifest on the outside with time. These things are like sowing seeds, which will definitely manifest when they start to germinate. This is why I believe that the battles you fight within yourself in close doors matters so much. It is when you are able to overcome when no one is watching; in your private space, that you will be able to overcome the ones on the outside.
In order to stand strong when no one is watching, you have to first make a resolution within yourself that you will stand by what is right even if your body is telling you otherwise. There is almost no force as strong as your own personal decision. There may be rules that are guiding a particular space, but it does not guarantee that you will abide by it. After all, the people that fall into temptation, for example in workplace, to misappropriate funds, also had rules guiding the organisation, but they chose to go against it. It is when your decision to live rightly becomes strong that you will be able to stay above temptation.
The truth is that temptations will surely and definitely come; you do not have a choice about that. In fact, they are part of the inevitables of life, but it is your decision to stand strong in the face of it that will define who you truly are. You may not be able to prevent temptation, but you can choose to either fall into it or not. More so, you also need to put your desires in check. Trust me, you cannot be tempted with something you do not already have desire for, but what you are drawn to. So you have to mind what you want. When unwholesome desires start to pop up in your inside, you have to watch it and to not give room to it.
In addition, you also need to mind your senses: mind what you see, what you hear, what you think, and even where you go to. If there are places that, if you go to, they will predisposed you to tilting towards falling into temptation, or some people who, when you hang around, will make you to begin to do things that are not right, then you need to avoid such places and such people. Just to let you know; your friends and the places you go to will not leave you the same, but they will influence you in one way or the other. I have seen a couple of people talk about falling into certain temptations because their thoughts were influenced by their friends. So to guard yourself from unwholesome acts, then guard yourself from what will lead to the act.
However, what you need to know is that in all these, you are still the strong determining factor if you will fall into temptation or not. The real test of your strength is not validated in the crowd by when you are in isolation. This is why you have to keep building up yourself and you strength. Train yourself to bring your mind under subjection, learn to say "no" to things that are not right. Before doing something, ask yourself if you would still do it if someone is watching you. If you cannot confidently answer in the affirmative, then you need to be careful of the action you are about to take.
Thanks for reading
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