Hungry, angry, tired or lonely? Then be careful

"Then Jesus, … being urged by the Spirit out into the barren wastelands … where Satan tempted him …"

-- Luke 4:1 (LB)

The acronym, "HALT" stands for hungry, angry, tired and lonely.

Here's some biblical examples of what happens when we act on impulse during these times:

Esau's heritage was for him to be the ruler of Israel. However, after a hunting trip he came home starved. His brother had some stew that was tantalizing his olfactory senses and tempting his taste buds. Famished, he convinced himself, "What good is a birthright to a starving man?" So he gave his birthright over to his brother in exchange for a bowl of stew. That was not a smart move. He lost a lot by making this choice.

Moses was leader to the Israelites. Oftentimes, their whining and complaining would get on his nerves. One day in a moment of anger, Moses lost his temper and disobeyed God's instructions. As a result, Moses lost the privilege to enter the promised land, which was something he had been working toward for years.

King David was strolling along his rooftop one sultry night when he caught sight of a beautiful woman bathing. Feeling a little lonely, David allowed his feelings to sway him to ask the woman to spend the night. In doing so, David committed adultery and hurt many people. He suffered many consequences for the rest of his life because he didn't tame the temptation to sin during a time of loneliness.

Tired of waiting for Moses to descend the mountain with a word from God, the Israelites took matters in their own hands. They pitched in their gold jewelry and elected a goldsmith to make them a golden calf to worship instead. This angered God. They wound up wandering in the desert for 40 years due to their rebellious attitudes.

We can all relate to these examples. In a moment of anger, a spouse or parent says words they don't mean bringing lasting destructive effects on the relationship. A lonely and rejected spouse acts on his or her thoughts of adultery. How often have we grocery shopped during hunger pangs and overspent because everything tempted our taste buds?

Before making any critical decisions, we should check if we're feeling too hungry, angry, tired or lonely.

When emotionally challenged, we're more apt to submit to the devil's temptations. Remembering to "HALT" can help us divert painful consequences.

• Annettee Budzban's new book "Spend a Moment with God" can be ordered through bookstores or online bookstores, or by calling the toll free number (877) 289-2665.