Have you ever seen a cartoon where a character has a decision to make and a little imaginary devil and angel show up to tell them what to do? The little devil whispers, “Go ahead, do the bad thing!” while the angel says, “Don’t listen to him—do what’s right!” Some people think like that in real life too—when they do something wrong, they blame it on the devil or on their circumstances or even on God!

But the Bible makes it really clear: God never tempts anyone to sin. Now that doesn’t mean God never allows us to go through difficult situations. There’s a big difference between a TEST and a TEMPTATION!

Here’s how to tell the difference: A TEST from God is meant to help you grow stronger in your faith and make good choices. For example, when God told Abraham to be willing to sacrifice his son Isaac, that was a test to see if Abraham really trusted God (and God stopped Abraham before he actually hurt Isaac). A TEMPTATION, on the other hand, is when something inside you wants to do something you know is wrong.

James tells us that temptations come from our own selfish desires, not from God. When you’re tempted to cheat on a test, lie to your parents, or be mean to someone, that temptation is coming from the sinful part of your heart that wants to do what’s wrong instead of what’s right.

Think About It: The next time you’re faced with a choice between right and wrong, remember that God isn’t trying to trick you into making a bad choice. He always wants you to choose what’s right! If you’re feeling tempted to do something you know is wrong, pray and ask God to help you make the right choice. He promises to give you the strength to do what’s right!