Ice Cream

      One of the most well-loved desserts of all time is ice cream. The hardest thing to do, however, is to judge just how much you love it. Whenever you go to an ice cream store (or to the freezer) in order to get yourself some ice cream, it can be difficult to determine the amount you should get. It always seems appealing to get the most ice cream possible, but it's rarely possible to eat it all.
      If you have ever made your own sundae, you know that the temptation to heap on the good stuff is irresistible. For one, think of all that ice cream! It looks good, sounds appetizing, and from past experiences, you know it tastes delightful, so why not get a lot of it? You can never have too much! Then comes the whipped cream. It's called a topping, but it could be a dessert in and of itself. There is no one in America who has not just eaten whipped cream out of the can or ate a bowlful of whipped cream by itself. When putting it on ice cream, the urge to bury the ice cream under inches of whipped cream is uncontrollable. The last couple steps involve splurging in chocolate syrup, caramel, and--of course--the cherry on top. Chocolate is another topping that can cause uncontrollable indulgence.
      We live in a world of instant gratification, and making an ice cream sundae takes too much time to make! Naturally, you sneak tastes of the toppings as you make it. After you are finally done preparing your masterpiece dessert, you begin to devour it expeditiously. About halfway through it, you start to slow down. You ignore your stomach and listen to your taste buds (that sweet tooth still isn't satisfied, but your stomach is starting to get mad). By the time your stomach feels like it is going to burst, your bowl still has a lot of ice cream in it. You realize you have over-indulged, and you have the upset stomach to prove it.
      Sin is very similar to ice cream in this sense. It seems so appealing and draws you to it. Then, after it hooks you and after you indulge in it, you suffer the consequence. Yet, you still return to it time after time to continue the cycle of over-indulgence and negative repercussions.
      A lot of people try diet and exercise regiments to kick bad health habits (like splurging on ice cream). And many times, they fail because the temptation to overeat is too great. How amazing it is we don't have to worry about our temptation being too great for us to handle! 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 says "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."