​Choosing Virtue Over Vice in Trials

Scripture Summaries:

• Psalm 17: David pleads for God’s protection and justice, trusting in His righteousness.
• Job 1:1-22: Job, a man of integrity, loses everything but refuses to curse God.
• Luke 21:34-22:6: Jesus warns against indulgence and distraction, while Judas, swayed by greed, betrays Him.

Life’s hardships often tempt us to escape through comfort-seeking vices—anger, indulgence, distraction—yet Scripture calls us to steadfastness. In Job, we see a man who, despite immense suffering, refuses to turn away from God. Jesus, in Luke, warns against being weighed down by “dissipation, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life” (Luke 21:34). Judas, however, succumbs to his desires, trading faithfulness for silver.

St. Augustine wrote, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” When trials come, restlessness can push us toward easy relief—bitterness, addiction, apathy. But like Job, we must cling to God, choosing virtue over vice.
Consider a doctor in wartime, overwhelmed by suffering but remaining steadfast in duty instead of numbing himself. He mirrors Job’s faithfulness, not Judas’s compromise. This Lent, let us examine our own tendencies in hardship. Do we seek fleeting escape or enduring faith? The choice defines our journey toward God.

When life becomes difficult, what vices am I tempted to turn to instead of trusting in God’s strength?
Consider the ways you respond to stress, disappointment, or suffering. Do you turn to distractions—endless scrolling, entertainment, or food—to avoid dealing with pain? Do you seek control through anger, impatience, or withdrawal? Perhaps you numb yourself with habits that provide temporary relief but leave you feeling empty.
​
Now reflect on Job’s response to suffering. He did not deny his pain, but he also did not allow it to define him. Instead of cursing God, he worshiped (Job 1:20-21). Jesus, too, warned His disciples not to let the anxieties of life weigh them down (Luke 21:34). These examples challenge us: Are we bringing our struggles to God in prayer, or are we looking for quick escapes that offer no lasting peace?
 
Prayer:
Lord, in times of struggle, keep my heart from turning to distractions that pull me from You. Strengthen me to choose faithfulness over fleeting relief, virtue over vice. When I am tempted to escape, draw me closer to Your truth. May my suffering refine me rather than lead me astray. Amen.