The wise man, because he would have not despair in temptation, to comfort them saith thus: In temptation our Lord forsaketh not a man, but goeth with him from the beginning to the end. For he saith first, He chooseth him, and that is, when He draweth a man to Him by comfort of devotion, and afterward bringeth upon him sorrow and dread and trials, and that is when He withdraweth devotion and suffereth him to be tempted. And he saith that He tormenteth him in tribulation until He hath well tried him in his thoughts, and until a man will put all his trust in Him fully, and then He bringeth him out into the right way, and fasteneth him to Him, and gladdeneth him, and sheweth him His secrets, and giveth him His treasure of knowing and understanding of righteousness.(John Climacus)

The God of Climacus is a coach or trainer who puts us through our paces in order to bring us to peak condition.

Temptations are training tools, stretching our spiritual sinews.

Maybe this is true for Climacus. In my own case, I perceive temptation and sin to be more like distractions along the way or self-created delusions.

God does not cause my temptations and sin, but God is ready to help me continue or reclaim the way ahead.

In any case, I agree with Climacus, God goes with us from beginning to end.