I've been facing temptation at work because I share brotherly love with my assistant manager. He taught me all there is to know about being a security guard. We were not good at catching theives because we were friends for years. Once I became a believer our friendship changed, he respected the path I took and continued on his. We are side by side at work constantly. This was very hard for me to pray about and face as an evil problem in my life.
Instead of theives, he would zoom the camera on women shopping and ask me if I would sleep with them. I too found myself searching with the camera willingly. Cussing would be common for him, as I noticed some from me from time to time. We would get drunk often after work, chill out, talk about materialistic things or sports. We developed a language that only we could understand and my sense of humor dipped way below morality to try and make my friend laugh. He loved rolling dice for dollars. Why did I love this guy? He did help me get the job. Constantly, we would bet against each other, play tennis and on occasion I would bring Jesus Christ into our conversations. He always had an ear for it, things Jesus to be the truth even, and someday wants to be saved and trust Christ but he just doesn't want to do it now.
It took me a while to realize how serious his influence was on my faith life, and drinking problem. I'm playing with temptations because I liked being around him. I don't admire him, or want to be like him. I just like his approval and comments. At times I think Satan made me believe that I was bringing him the light. How could I when I'm not casting down the onslaught of temptation? I'm there dipping into evil as if I wasn't anointed by God. But I am, so I prayed. Others prayed too, in time I was able to quit drinking (something I thought to be too powerful), lusting was shot down by tell him "No" without look at the woman zoomed in. Quitting betting was easy because he always won. This continued until last week when he got approved to move to the sales floor as a leader and make some serious money something that he constantly was driven by. I felt that God was answering my prayers. Not to get him out of my life, but to place boundaries around our friendship where only the life-giving healthy activities reside. Like tennis, chess and talking about family. God is good and my problem when brought to Jesus in prayer felt like the single sheep who wandered from the herd. The shepard leaves the herd to find the one. I'm left wondering what becomes of my love for my friend.
