Struggling with why we must resist our own desires regarding hijab and lowering the gaze

Salaam, everyone. Just a heads up-this isn't a post arguing against hijab or lowering the gaze. It's just a lingering doubt I want to work through, in sha Allah. I understand that covering our awrah (for sisters) and lowering the gaze (for brothers) is commanded because, generally, women have a natural inclination to beautify themselves and be admired, while men have a natural inclination to look at beauty. A scholar explained it this way once (can’t recall which one), and it really stuck with me. Of course, sisters also lower their gaze and brothers also cover their awrah, but the awrah for women is more extensive, and the emphasis on lowering the gaze is stronger for men, for these reasons. So I get the purpose-these acts are meant to go against our inner desires. But my question is, why? Why must we battle our own inclinations? Like, why did Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, place these desires in us if we're meant to struggle against them? I don’t ask this out of disrespect, astaghfirullah. It’s just been eating at me, and I’d truly appreciate any insights or explanations. Jazakum Allahu khayran.