Click here for today's Bible reading: 1 Samuel 1-4; Proverbs 9:1-9.
My Biggest Enemy
Sometimes I feel as if I’m in a bad relationship—with myself! Whenever Julie the writer starts a paragraph, Julie the editor interrupts. “No, no, no. Don’t say it that way. Why are you always so negative?” Or “You’re trying to say too many things. Why can’t you just stay focused for a change?” Or “What makes you think you have anything worthwhile to say?!”
Before I’ve completed a single thought, my alter ego has torn it to shreds. This ritual is very debilitating. It’s also common to the human condition.
Satan loves to distract us with criticism, and he uses our imperfections to convince us that we have no value. He interrupts us with accusations that cause us to doubt the work that God wants to accomplish in and through us. He also gets us to use this tactic on others by judging them prematurely and trying to correct them before we know what they’re trying to say.
That’s what Eli the priest did when Hannah was crying out to God. He interrupted her prayer and accused her of being drunk.
God, on the other hand, welcomes our cries for help. He wants us to pour out the contents of our hearts to him, and we can do it without fear of interruption (Psalm 62:8). We learn from reading the psalms that even as we are expressing our doubts and fears, God is at work resolving them. Many psalms that begin in despair end in praise.
If you have an internal battle raging, let the warring ideas have their time before God. He knows which side is right, and he has no interest in keeping the information a secret. He made each of us for a purpose, and he is eager to enable and empower us to complete it.
Adapted from Inner Turmoil.
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3 comments:
As always, Julie, your words are succinct and significant. Thank you!
Thanks, Julie. I was warring with those what if's today and had already talked to the Lord. Your post is confirmation that He is taking care of it! Peggy
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