One’s personal growth is accompanied by various distractions of the present-day world, which prevent them from achieving important goals and having meaningful lives in general. They differ depending on the source and manifestation of such events, and revealing them should be a primary task for everyone who strives for a harmonious and authentic existence. Therefore, the challenge of overcoming numerous temptations on the way is one of the principal conditions of people’s happiness.
The lessons taught by the experience of Jesus as per the Gospel of Matthew present a solution to the described problem. When tempted by the devil, he managed to calmly resist his intentions (Thomas, 2020). Although Satan did not question Jesus’ deity, he still attempted to test the strength of his belief in the help of God and make him demonstrate the miracles. However, the plan failed, and the way Jesus rejected his offers provides guidance for all people. Thus, he refused to use his gifts for the selfish purpose of providing food for himself and avoided their public demonstration. Later on, he did not agree to serve the devil in exchange for power. These examples are sufficient for determining the path one should take in life.
To summarize, following the natural course of events implies resistance to temptations. They are the desire for fast promotion, the use of abilities and resources solely for personal benefit, and the demonstration of privileged positions. The mentioned distractions are somehow related to these ideas, and one should not listen to others’ words trying to convince them to change the path but look at their deeds. Jesus’ wisdom surprised me by the refusal of these goods as an optimal solution to the task. Therefore, overcoming the feeling of being uncomfortable while rejecting selfish methods is the best approach to life.
Reference
Thomas, D. (2020). Gospel of Matthew. Wipf & Stock Publishers.