1 Corinthians 12: Standing by the Grace of God

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able - 1 Cor. 12:12-13 KJV

I have often called on this verse when I am tempted, asking God to make a way for me to come through the tempting times to the other side, but seldom have I thought of it in respect to the preceding verse.  Most of the time I think I am standing far from temptation, but is that really the truth?  Am I often standing close to the edge where I may fall at any moment.  Is it the devil that is providing the temptation, or am I the one teetering close to the edge?  Perhaps our greatest temptation is to think that we are standing firm when it is only an illusion.  If my knees are weak, it is from trying to stand in my own power, when I should be falling on the grace of the only one who was able to withstand temptation, the one who, when he was led to the edge of the cliff and tempted to jump off, knew to rebuke Satan and his temptation.  I'm afraid that in the same circumstance, I might have willingly thrown myself off.  If I am still standing after all these years, it is only by the grace of God.