Devotion 1

I re-read one letter from Screwtape.

God keeps reminding me how Satan works hard on the disappointment or anticlimax, which is allowed by our Heavenly Father because He wants us to live freely, no matter how much heart pains He experienced in seeing us stumbling, falling, hurting… He wants us to be able to stand up by ourselves, to walk and to run. He knows if we get through these trials, the initial dryness successfully, we will become far less likely to be tempted or attacked, mentally or emotionally, and be able to run with endurance.

God also reminded me that we still bear all types of sinful habits in Satan’s flavor, even when we have an idea of ‘Christians’ in our mind, even when we are worshipping and serving Him. I connect this with one of the symptoms of emotionally unhealthy spirituality – doing for God or for yourself instead of being with God. Some times what we share and pray, even on our knees, about our sinfulness is more like ‘parrot talk’. Other times we say and do things to please the audience, fulfill the duties, win praise, make our credit-balance look favorable… We may then fall into the pitfalls of self-centeredness, judging other people’s spiritual walk, avoiding conflicts…

We all need to invite God to intervene and work on our hearts, because He loves us and knows us better than anyone else does, including ourselves.