Sunday: Distractions and Temptations
Daily Lesson for Sunday 24th of May 2026
Read about Samson’s temptations in Judges 14:1-20 and Judges 16:1,4,16-17. Although called by God for a specific purpose, Samson served God while giving in to temptation. What does the outcome of his life teach us?
The great controversy is real, and we are all involved in it. The cosmic battle that began in heaven is now being played out in each of our own lives, as well.
Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com
Satan knows that he has to pull out everything he’s got in the times that we’re living in, right before Jesus comes, to keep us from having a close relationship with God. Perhaps you’ve been distracted with something that may not necessarily be wrong in itself but takes so much time and energy that there’s very little left for God. Maybe it’s work, social media, shopping, sports, or food. When we take a good hard look at ourselves, we’ll see that overconsumption and an imbalance of any of these things can allow for little time for God and others. The enemy knows each of our weaknesses and the kinds of things that distract us from spending time with God. We should remember to seek God first (Matthew 6:33) before rushing into our day and all that may come our way.
Jesus understands our condition, but He rebukes our apathy (Revelation 3:14-22). Although He is God, He was also a human being who felt tired, as we do (John 4:6). He knew the pressures of life, as we do, but He often got relief by going away alone to pray to His Father (Luke 5:16, Luke 6:12, Mark 1:35, Matthew 14:23). He knew that time with His Father was the best thing He could do to regain strength to battle temptations. It’s the best and surest way for us too.
Samson fell because he thought he was strong. He depended on his own strength to overcome temptations. Every day, each of us faces battles with sin as the enemy of souls tries to weaken and destroy our relationship with God. He knows our weaknesses and zeroes in on them in order to dull our relationship with God and to bring guilt and a sense of unworthiness upon us, all of which tend to drive us away from God. The devil works to shift our thinking, our intentions, and our actions in order to gain a stronghold in some part of our lives. But remember: our faith will help us to stand, and faith comes by hearing the Word of God.
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What are you struggling with now? How can the Word of God help you right now? |
Daphne (not her real name) was more than a friend and neighbor. She was a committed choir member, a mentor, a devoted student of Scripture, an active Sabbath School contributor, and a loyal Adventist. She made sure we, as young teens, got to church early and learned to serve actively. But Sabbath, 11th May 1985, changed everything for me. That was the first time I heard the phrase “open sin.” Whispers filled every corner of the church compound because Daphne, then a third-year medical student, was pregnant. Soon, judgment followed: she could not sing, could not guide the youth, and was labeled a “bad influence.” The once-respected mentor became isolated, shamed, banished and avoided.
What troubled me most was not only how she was treated, but that term itself — “open sin.” Recently, I heard it again after another active youth became pregnant. It still leaves me wondering: what makes some sins “open,” and which ones remain “closed”?
The story of Samson has always been a tragedy every time I read it. He was born a Nazarite (Numbers 6:1-21), not voluntarily, but under God’s own special anointing, and was strangely to be a Nazarite till death (Judges 13:7). The expectations and responsibilities for both the parents and Samson were heavy, to stay pure. But when Samson came of age, what do we see? He defiled everything — choosing and marrying a woman from enemy territory, mingling with the enemy, but what was most tragic was eating honey from a lion’s carcass and even feeding the same to his unknowing parents. Samson defiled the Nazarite vow in all ways possible — he sinned (maybe both “open” or “closed”). However, only once in his entire story did God leave Samson. Quote: “he did not know that the Lord had departed from him” (Judges 16:20). And God doesn’t depart from him for long (Judges 16:22)“his hair began to grow again.” That handling of Samson’s “open/closed sin” tells a lot. God did not keep a grudge or banish Samson. He immediately began to work towards Samson’s restoration, still appreciating his purpose or talent, still making his destiny “to die as a Nazarite” possible. He did not condemn Samson to be a “pariah.”
That’s interesting: anyone can be restored from sin, if not only a chance is given, and if encouraged back. Daphne, though in “silent mode,” is back, married, and older today, -more so still a close friend- but still very “profitable to the mission” (Philemon 1:11). What’s the point here? Sin, despite its communal outlook, is experienced personally in all of us — open or closed — and we need to learn not to aggravate it deeper by unnecessary actions, but be there to help or allow for a “return.”
From Stanley’s post – “but what was most tragic was eating honey from a lion’s carcass and even feeding the same to his unknowing parents. Samson defiled the Nazarite vow in all ways possible — he sinned (maybe both “open” or “closed”).
What about eating honey from the carcass violated the Nazarite vow???
Good question, Leilani!
Yes. Both men and women (Numbers 6:2) could dedicate themselves to God as Nazarites. They took vows that included avoiding dead bodies or carcasses (Numbers 6:1–8).
Samson’s actions show a steady spiritual decline, breaking nearly every part of that vow. If a Nazarite became defiled, they were to go through a public cleansing and atonement process, including shaving their hair (Numbers 6:9–21). But Samson hid this from his parents (Judges 14:9).
His sin was no longer affecting only himself; it was now drawing others into it, even those trying to remain faithful to God. That is what sin does. Samson knowingly sinned both publicly and secretly, yet God still gave him strength for a time, until he revealed the secret of his hair and faced the consequences.
Still, the story carries hope: even when someone falls deeply, God still leaves a path for restoration. I feel this was the underlying context in my comment, that God continously works towards eradicating the sin problem, and never stops caring for His people, more so the lost – He endevours to get them back.
Thanks brother Stanley for that submission. 🤝🤝
I’m guessing that most of us who comment in this forum regard ourselves as Christians. We probably like to think we do a tolerable good job of being a Christian but have to work a bit on pride and self-interest. We don’t visit bars and night-clubs, keep away from naughty women (or men). We pay tithe and give offerings generously. We want people to look at us and say, “There is a true-blue Seventh-day Adventist.
And then I read the Gospels and find Jesus having a go at the religious conservatives of his day. He relentlessly criticises them for putting on a religious show, and not understanding the basics. Then Jesus spends time with rip-off tax gatherers, a women of ill-repute who pours perfume on his feet, and to top it off, he tells a murderer who is being crucified to join him in paradise.
There is something in the Gospel story that tells us that sometimes we have an upside down view of the sin problem. It’s not about the show – it’s about the relationship.
Here is something to think about this week. Our biggest sin is probably not something we do, but rather those things we don’t do. When we look to Jesus as our example, do we look to see how well we match his profile. Or do we ask what we are omitting?
Remember the parable of the sheep and the goats,
🤔🤔🤔Maurice, Thank you!
This caught my attention:
Why? Because this speaks directly to the voices in my own head — the same questions I quietly ask myself. Where exactly do I stand? Haven’t I checked all the boxes of being a near-great Adventist? Haven’t I faithfully kept the Sabbath, honored the vows, and lived in a way everyone can see?
But then, where is my kindness? My composure? My resilience? Why am I so quick to judge others while failing to recognize my own sin? Am I projecting? Is all this simply an effort to preserve the faith of my people and my church? And do those who are lost, or who do not share my beliefs, truly matter to me?
What Maurice brought out above is the very conversation we need to have — the true intention of the Gospel: to confront sin and to “rescue the perishing.” – (preserve life Gen 45:5)
Thank you again!
Thank you both for your thoughtful comments. What you shared prompted me once again to reflect on how Jesus treated Mary Magdalene compared to how others treated her, and how closely that parallels Daphne’s story.
Unfortunately, issues like these often go much deeper. I know this because I have heard, time and again, from victims who came forward about sins committed behind closed doors within seemingly perfect Adventist families. Too often, they do not receive support. People withdraw — either because they do not know how to respond, because the story feels too unbelievable, or because standing with the victim would create too much discomfort and too many consequences.
Far too often, the church sides with the abuser because “he is such a good person” and well loved by everyone. I think you see where I’m going with this.
And yet, Ellen White writes in The Desire of Ages that it was Simon the Pharisee who led Mary Magdalene into sin, and then later condemned her for it — along with everyone else except Jesus. Christ alone saw her with compassion, dignity, and truth.
I feel we have an acute need to reexamine whether we are truly willing to go where Jesus went and love the way He loved — which reaches far beyond simply paying tithe and attending church every Sabbath. Are we willing to be brave, uncomfortable, vulnerable, accessible, and emotionally available to those who are suffering? Are we willing to stand beside the wounded when doing so may cost us socially or personally? Those are difficult but necessary questions for all of us.
The most common weakness among most Adventists is the lack of a humble and loving attittude. Some think they dont possess this weakness and bury their heads in the sand. But almost every Advientist knows very well that when we speak about enemies we recognise that we have many enemies who are in a spiritual war in opposition to what we believe and teach as Adventists , people in other churches who despise our church ; whom God expects us to love , but we also hate. If anyone is thinking about other personal enemies in his mind , let him not confuse them with our spiritual enemies.
Am not a dedicated Adventist but I see life and truth in this literature. Being not dedicated is because of distraction. Then comes a time when you need to speak to God, you”re all-over and suddenly become tired, while reading the Word, You are tempted to use the online version then pop ups of advertisements happen. Once online, notification from social media apps, waaah!It will not be an easy journey but by His grace, we shall defeat the distractions, plus self love that is not easily noticed. 🙏
Distractions can drain every aspect of who we are and what God wants us to be. They take our focus away from our tasks, goals, and purpose. At times, an honest evaluation is that when I have indulged in social media, especially in the morning, it has been a distraction, as an hour or so could go by before I know it is gone forever. Looking at it critically, I feel drained and disappointed, not only in myself for allowing such precious time to be lost, but also because of the opportunities I might have used productively in writing an article, researching, or pursuing a business venture. In addition, distractions expose us to the temptation of normalising ill-gotten gains, empty fame, unrestrained power, and many things that ultimately represent a great opportunity cost.
There are always many priorities competing for my time and attention, ranging from business opportunities to explore, links to follow up, daily work responsibilities, and personal commitments. The devil also knows that constant busyness is a danger to our spiritual lives, for it drains our strength, reduces our walk with Jesus to a mere formality, and leaves us spiritually, emotionally, and physically exhausted. Scripture warns us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Distraction and temptation are indeed ever-present dangers to our spiritual health because they slowly shift our hearts and minds away from God’s purpose and presence.
We must admit and make peace with the fact that we are all born slaves to sin, as the Bible says: “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34). We cannot free ourselves from sin, for no one can live without sinning against God. Paul says, “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” [that is, Christlikeness] (1 Timothy 4:7, NASB). All our spiritual disciplines should therefore be practiced in pursuit of Christlikeness. We must pursue inward conformity to Christ by practicing the same disciplines Christ practiced, while intentionally guarding our hearts against distractions and temptations that pull us away from Him. More importantly, we must pursue intimacy with Jesus, for only through Him can our inner transformation into Christlikeness truly take place.
Spiritual struggles, trials and temptations are real in the life of a believer. No one is immune. Sadly, the attacks come even in the midst of a prayer! Minds and thoughts wander away instantly without warning or permission. Inner conflict is what we have to go through daily as believers. Strangely, unresolved anxieties resurface, random thoughts appear from nowhere, new desires emerge from without, new, strange fears arise, and spiritual resistance intensifies. I become frustrated and disappointed, particularly when I am trying to focus on God. Praise be to God because of Jesus, in whom we have the blessed hope for victory.
“But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57, NLT).
By faith, we are assured victory in Jesus’ name, but to make it tangible, we have to safeguard our minds and thoughts from evil by doing the following:
1. We need to fill our minds with edifying things – “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Philippians 4:8,NLT)
2. We need to fortify our hearts and minds with the Word of God – “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11, NLT)
3. “We need to minimise the noises that cause spiritual distraction – “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35, NIV).
4. Need to confess all known sins – Unconfessed sins will always come back to torment and taunt our spiritual life (Psalms Psalm 32:3-5)
5. We need to safeguard what goes into our bodies – Our spiritual struggles are fueled by what we feed our bodies (mind, heart and spirit). What goes in must come out in terms of actions, thoughts, feelings, and imaginations (Luke 6:45).
Dear brother, With the long list here and in other comments of works we need to do in order to be saved the question arises, “Are we saved by Jesus or by ourselves?” Is salvation the “gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast”?
Ephesians 2:8,9
Yes, yet does not your love for Christ compel you to seek seek mercy, to do justly and to walk humbly with our God? Micah 6:8, because we love the Lord with all our hearts, mind and souls, and strength. By the way gifts from God.
The fruit of loving the Lord is keeping His precepts and statutes. Psalms 119. Let us bear much fruit.
It is important to rely on Our Father in heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord to rely on for leading us away from temptation, yes to keep us from temptation. We can’t do it without a good relationship with God. Just as Samson thought he could in His own strength, he could not, yet in the end he turned to God and God accepted his cry of help.
I was so impressed with Wayne Vassell’s comment for Sabbaths lesson.
“One of the worse mistakes a human being can make is to think that he/she has strayed so far from God that there is no possibility of coming back to Him.”
His word is very clear on this: ” All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”, John 6:37. Thank-you Wayne
So true as Sampson and Soloman stories testify. And the story of Saul renamed Paul after his life was turned around by Christ calling. After Christ told him you are persecuting Me. He responded positively to Christ. Christ takes us as we are when we turn to Him.
Physically, Samson was the strongest man upon the earth; but in self-control, integrity, and firmness, he was one of the weakest of men. Many mistake strong passions for a strong character, but the truth is that he who is mastered by his passions is a weak man. The real greatness of the man is measured by the power of the feelings that he controls, not by those that control him. (Patriach and prohet, chap 54,pg 567).
1 Corinthians 10:12
Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
Lord please help us with our fears and uncertainties. Also help us prioritize honoring you over pleasing others
Amen.
The best thing to do is to go to Christ, our Lawyer before God, with an open heart; get rid of any cover or mask because there is nothing we can hide from ourselves or from God. Asking Jesus to plead with our souls for God’s mercy, and He will not fail us. Happiness is not in self-confidence, but in the confidence of Jesus’s sacrifice for us.
The fellowship with our God has moved from ‘works’ to ‘faith’. The old covenant has ended, and the new covenant elevates and defines our relationship with Him ‘by His Grace through our faith’. It appears to me that so much of ‘faith’ is still considered and defined by the prism of ‘doing the right thing’, or for a lack of a better definition: ‘works’.
Temptations experienced throughout the day can only be rejected/overcome in the presence of strong faith. If unconditional faith does not accompany us at all times, it will be difficult to suddenly raise it up to battle ‘temptations’ that appear at a moment’s notice. I see us either accepting wholeheartedly that we engage our ‘new nature by faith’, having access to God’s help to resist at all times, or we still doubt that ‘being in Christ and with Him in God’s Presence’ gives us enough power to overcome all temptations.
But, going beyond the ‘struggling aspect’ of faith, it would be helpful to reflect on the priorities we have in our life. In or with what do we experience the most ‘struggles? Are our priority to live comfortably, climb the ladder of success, focus on how much material goods we can accumulate and how much fun we can have traveling the world and enjoying its entertainments? Or is our priority to experience God’s gift of faith to its fullest extend in all circumstances of our life? Wherever our heart is, whatever our struggles are, it is paramount to faithfully and thankfully accept our benevolent God’s Will and Interventions on our behalf – Prov.3:5-6.
Okay struggling with pressure of this world seems like nowadays doing bad is now the good and good now the bad , if you haven’t tested sex you backwards that’s the nom nowayadays being labeled as exposure so as someone in the 20’s the pressure is so much you feel like you backwards being told you shouldn’t get married not knowing how you treat a women what what sometimes we then lie to cover our shame among others being labeled experienced to fit in. So what should I do now personally I just go back and forth wanting to please God at the same time wanting to fit in and fulfilling the desires of the flesh killing me the other end?
Yes, the pressure is great, and it will get even greater before the end. As long as you try to fit in, you will not be able to be happy. You’re trying to sit on a fence, and that’s a very uncomfortable place to sit.
Be bold for Jesus. State clearly what you stand for. You may be surprised that people will respect you more. You may also be surprised that some in the crowd will actually admire you.
Jesus will give you strength if you will stand boldly, like Daniel. But if you are trying to sit on the fence, He can’t help you. It’s a dangerous place to sit, because if you fall off the fence, you are likely fall into enemy territory.
Jesus said you cannot serve two masters. Choose Jesus as your only Master.
May God bless you as you choose to stand for Him.
Dear Hope, yes, the pressure of this world can twist a person into a pretzel. We are not to be conformed to this world. Romans 12:2 The Philips Version says, “don’t let the world squeeze you into it’s mold.” The world, the flesh, and the devil will do their best to make us just like the world. However, you are not of this world if you are born again. This world tempts us with temporary “pleasures” that over promise and rarely deliver, or come with a load of shame and guilt. Dare to be a “Danielle” and dare to stand alone in the world’s eyes. When we stand for Christ and his principles He stands with us empowering us to do so.
Never apologize for being different than the wordlings. This world isn’t your home. The temporary, fleeting pleasures of earth can’t compare to what the Lord has planned for those who love him. 1 Cor. 2:9 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11(ESV) You can take that to the bank.
God had blessed Samson with so much strength and I guess that blinded him to be self dependent. Some times our blessings if not guarded can make us lose our ways, Samson had all the reasons to be faithful to God but he chose a different way that took him to distraction just like the writer said sin can consume you. Wait imagine being consumed because of the blessings you failed to handle. The lesson I have learnt is that it’s possible our blessings can turn into a curse in our lives if not handled in the right way