The enemy has a way of creeping into our lives and taking hold of us without our realization. He comes sneaks up on us without our awareness. He is stealthy, coming at us little by little, one moment at a time, one lame excuse after another until suddenly we realize what’s happening. Then, out of guilt and shame, we hang our heads, crawl into our corners feeling unworthy to show our face to our Savior.
This has happened to me on more than one occasion. While I feel called to write this blog, I doubt my abilities to do so and do it well. It shouldn’t however, matter if I believe I can do it. If God wants me to put pen to paper, He will provide the words for the message He wishes my readers to hear. So, who shall I listen to? The enemy who places these doubts in my head or my always faithful Lord who has never let me – or anyone else for that matter – down.
As imperfect humans, we have mastered the art of denial, avoidance, and procrastination. Excuses fall from our lips like leaves falling from the tree on a windy autumn day. From I have to work late, to needing to make dinner. From I’m just going to clean the house real quick, to I need to help out with <fill in the blank>. From I’m only going to rest for a moment, to let me just finish this one thing. We are the master of excuses. I firmly believe our excuses come from the devil. If he can keep us from writing about Christ, speaking about Christ, or living our lives in a way that demonstrates Christ’s love for us and for the world, then Satan has won.
“You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.”
Eph 2:2
I’m not saying there isn’t validity to our excuses. That is what makes Satan so successful at his job. He takes the truth – the demands on our time – and he tweaks them just enough so that without realizing it, we reprioritize God to the bottom of our to-do list.
Even as I sit here writing this post, Satan did his best to keep me from my task. I had already written a post to share. Because I think better writing long hand than typing, I write my posts first in notebooks before moving them to my computer. When I went to retrieve my notebook from where I thought I had left it, it wasn’t there. I searched high and low and have yet to find it.
In frustration, I wanted to grab another helping of apple crisp a friend shared with us, plop down on the couch next to my husband, and lose myself in a movie. But I knew if I did that, then Satan would have won yet again. I did get myself another helping of apple crisp (small win for the devil), and instead of giving in to the urge to watch a movie and then feel guilty, I chose instead to do the right thing and honor my Father’s request to write for Him.
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little;
I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
Matt 25:23
And I am so glad did. No guilt – well maybe for that extra helping of apple crisp I really didn’t need), but certainly no guilt for yet again disobeying my Father’s call for me to write. My God, my Father, is proud of me. I can feel his smile shining down right now on His good and faithful servant. He’s proud of you too when you don’t give in to the enemy. He knows it isn’t easy, but He is with us every step of the way and will carry us, if only we let Him. Our God is than us, more forgiving than us, and loves both you and me more than we can possibly grasp.
Just for Today – pick your head up, cast off your shame and guilt, and take the next step in doing what it is God’s called you to do.
May your week be blessed!
– PSG –
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