I’m Just a Guy: Resisting Temptationنموونە

When You Fall

The guilt that follows temptation can be just as crippling as the act itself.

For me, that feeling of failure can leave me feeling useless — like I’m beyond repair. My biggest struggle has often been with food. Growing up, I was the bigger kid in class, and that identity left some deep scars. When I looked in the mirror, I didn’t like what I saw, and getting my health in order has been a lifelong journey.

It amazes me how something God created for good — food — can be twisted into something destructive when the flesh takes over.

For me, it hits hardest around the holidays. Between family gatherings and endless desserts, the kitchen becomes a sanctuary of temptation. Every year I promise myself I’ll do better — and yet, I still find myself barefoot at 2 a.m., standing in the dark, eating ginger snaps straight from the container.

What bothers me most isn’t the cookies — it’s what comes after.

Lying there in bed, full and frustrated, the thoughts begin to swirl. It starts with negotiation — “It’s fine, I’ll double my workout tomorrow.” Then comes blame — “If my wife had just hidden the food like I asked…” And finally, condemnation settles in: “You’re weak. You’ll never change. You’re pathetic.”

Sound familiar? The pattern is old: temptation, indulgence, condemnation — same demons, just new days.

Maybe for you it’s not food. Maybe it’s pornography, or flirting with someone who isn’t your spouse, or cutting a corner at work to get ahead. Whatever it is, the result is the same — guilt and shame that whisper, “You’ve fallen too far.”

But here’s the truth: falling doesn’t define you. Staying down does.

Proverbs tells us that the righteous man falls seven times — but rises again. That means our identity isn’t tied to how many times we’ve fallen, but to the God who helps us get back up.

When we rise, we also need to remember Romans 8:1 — “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Condemnation means “not fit for use.” But brother, that’s not who you are. You are not disqualified. You are not broken beyond repair.

Yes, the fall happened — but that doesn’t mean the war is lost. The danger isn’t in the stumble; it’s in choosing to stay down.

Men, we have to get up. Confess. Repent. And keep moving toward Jesus. Too many of us are taking identity in the lies of the enemy instead of walking in the truth of who God says we are.

If that’s you — if you’ve fallen and decided to stay down — I want to ask the same six words Jesus once asked a paralyzed man:

“Do you want to be healed?”

That question changed his life. And it can change yours too.

If your answer is yes, then it’s time to stop believing the lies and start walking in the newness of life.

Cookies, women, alcohol, drugs — none of these things define you.
Jesus does. Period.

And when you fall, remember — the righteous rise again.

Reflection Questions:

• When temptation wins, what lies do you tend to believe about yourself?
• What keeps you from getting back up after you fall?