Recently a group of researchers spent a lot of time and money trying to find the answer to the question: Why is it so hard for people to resist temptation?

They could have saved themselves a lot of effort if they would have just opened the Bible! God’s Words explains it perfectly! The Bible tells us that all people are born with a “fallen nature,” which means we naturally want to do wrong things sometimes. James 1:14-15 says it like this: “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death” (NLT).

Think of it like this: Imagine you have a puppy inside your heart that always wants to do the wrong thing. This “sin puppy” wants to lie when you’re in trouble, cheat when tests are hard, be mean when someone annoys you, or take things that don’t belong to you. That’s the fallen nature that every person is born with.

But here’s the good news! When Joseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife to do something wrong, he didn’t just stand there and think about it—he ran away! He had learned to live a righteous life that pleased God. As we grow in our understanding of how God wants us to live, we’ll get better at resisting temptation too.

Think About It: What temptations do you struggle with most? Is it lying to get out of trouble or maybe being mean to your siblings? Remember, the power to resist temptation doesn’t come from trying really hard—it comes from asking the Holy Spirit to help you make right choices. When you feel tempted, pray immediately, and ask God for the strength to do what’s right!