No, Thank You, Evil One

 This week has been long and eventful. With school starting back in a week, there have been many open-houses and orientations where I was translating. Last night, my husband Mike and I went to dinner to celebrate surviving the week. 

As I was getting ready for bed, I pulled out my Kindle Fire to read before crashing. A new book popped up in my library, and I don't remember downloading it. I do believe it was God-sent. Sheila Walsh is one of my favorite Christian authors. She is down-to-earth about her mental health struggles and how she is working through them with God's guidance. 

I began reading the introduction of In the Middle of the Mess. I used to skip the introductions of books because they did not appeal to me, but I started reading them because you can get as many blessings from there as the book itself. While I read, I was wondering what to write in my blog this week. I didn't believe anything spectacular had happened. Yet...something did. This book reminded me of a thought I had while driving to Jack's Thursday evening.

I had left my last school orientation and was driving to pick up dinner. Sorry, no home-cooked meals this week. As I came close to the stop sign, a thought popped in my head. "If you have a car accident and die, everyone will believe it was your eyes that caused it. No one will ever know the real reason." 

WHAT??? Was it a struggle this week with my vision? Yes, because I was looking at small texts on computers and reviewing a lot of documents. Was it so overwhelming that my life needed to end? NOOOO, not at all.

When we are tired and vulnerable, the Evil One will slip right in and plant a seed. I realize now that these types of "conversations" in my head over the last decade or so were the Evil On trying to create havoc. Where the Evil One would say the negative, another voice would say the complete opposite. Please don't think I am schizophrenic or have multiple personality disorder. When I am thinking of ideas or how to overcome situations, I will think in my head the pro's and con's. God will do the same for us. He can give us a thought and reminder. Unfortunately, so can the Evil One.

When the negative thought Thursday entered my head, immediately another one countered it. There is nothing too great, too trying, too painful, too embarrassing, too (insert your struggle here) that God cannot carry us through. He has our back, and when we are too tired to go on, He will carry us.

God will never put a thought in our heads that will be for us to harm ourselves. He may ask us to do something awkward, like talk to strangers about His Son, Jesus. He may push us to overcome obstacles to share His love and Word with others. He will never ask us to end our lives.

Jeremiah 29:11 "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'"

The Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20) is my protector. My shield of faith (v. 16) will extinguish all of the words and suggestions of the Evil One. So....No, Thank You, Evil One. I do not accept your suggestions. I do not accept anything you have to say about me. In Jesus' Name, be gone!!! In Jesus' Name, get out and stay out. Jesus is my Rock and my Fortress.

My Father is in control. It doesn't mean the next few weeks and months will be smooth sailing. It does mean, I know the Admiral of the ship, and He won't sink my boat. We won't crash, and I won't be abandoned on an island, all alone.

Thank You, Father, for being the voice that extinguishes the harmful thoughts. Thank You, Jesus, for being my Rock. "My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name." (song by Robert Critchley)


Have a blessed and wonderful weekend,

PB

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