A Little Chip: Building Spiritual Fortitude

"…he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it" -1 Corinthians 10:13b

Overcoming Lenten Temptations: Small Steps to Building Spiritual Fortitude

Last summer, I noticed a small crack in my car's windshield - barely visible, just a tiny chip from a pebble on the highway. "I'll get to it eventually," I told myself. A few months later, that little chip had spread into a scar sheering across my view. The strange thing was, I had grown so used to the crack that I didn't really notice it becoming bigger and bigger. What

started as something I could cover with my thumb became something I couldn't ignore. The repair cost tripled because I waited too long.

Finding Strength to Resist Temptation

As we enter the third week of Lent, you might be feeling the weight of your commitment. Maybe that chocolate craving is getting stronger, or finding time for prayer seems harder than when you started. This is normal! But there's something important happening in these moments of struggle: The initial temptation exposes where you're weak. That is where you will pray with God on building your spiritual fortitude.

Just like that tiny crack in my windshield gradually spread when ignored, our spiritual lives can follow the same pattern. Small compromises, when left unaddressed, don't stay small for long.

Thomas à Kempis warns us in "The Imitation of Christ": "When you begin to grow lukewarm, you are falling into the beginning of evil." This lukewarmness—this slight cooling of our commitment—isn't something to take lightly. He further cautions, "He who does not overcome small faults, shall fall little by little into greater ones."

My dad taught something similar years ago, I never forgot, during his Wednesday night class: "sins are like rumors—they seem harmless at first until they inevitably grown out of control."

But there is good news! Scripture tells us: "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Small Steps to Spiritual Fortitude

James 4:7 gives us a simple but powerful strategy: "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Notice the order—first submission to God, then resistance. Our strength comes not from willpower but from our connection to God.

Your Weekly Lenten Goal: Spot Check Your Temperature

For this third week of Lent, try this simple practice: Set three random alarms on your phone each day. When they go off, take 30 seconds to check your spiritual "temperature." Ask yourself:

1. Am I feeling lukewarm about my Lenten commitment right now?

2. What small temptation am I facing today that I need to address?

3. How can I submit this specific area to God?

This simple practice helps you catch the "lukewarmness" before it leads to bigger struggles. Remember, spiritual fortitude increases only by shedding negligence for proactive behaviors.