…and do not give the devil a foothold.
Ephesians 4:27
In the midst of this pandemic and the spreading fear, I find myself swept up in the chaos. I find myself underwater and overwhelmed by all that’s going on in the world and all that’s going on in my own heart.
What am I afraid of? Do I not have my hope in the God of the universe?
But where is He when my fear feels like the most real thing, when my perspective narrows and all I can see is this present darkness?
I am giving the devil a foothold. Fear is his entryway into my heart, and he thrives on it. He creeps in unannounced, slowly entwining his grasp around the things I hold dear, slowly causing me to question and doubt God’s intentions for my life and this world.
He is very convincing, and makes very reasonable arguments. He is the voice in the news, the voice of “logic,” the voice of “self-help.”
But he also attacks and criticizes us, and tells us what we are most afraid to hear, what we are most afraid is true about ourselves. He tells us we are weak. He tells us we will never amount to anything and we will never overcome what is in front of us. He tells us we will never change and we are hopeless. And he does all this so slyly and subtly that we think we are just telling it to ourselves. He convinces us he is not even real.
The enemy is real, and he is on the hunt:
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8
What better way to devour us than by getting us all-consumed with ourselves and our fears? By turning our focus inward instead of out, to the promises of God and His faithfulness?
I have a choice: anxiety or trust. When I choose fear, I am inviting the enemy into my life. When I choose trust, I invite God in. It is up to me who I extend the invitation to, and God waits and hopes that I will choose Him. The enemy ultimately has no power unless I give it to him, and God in His goodness has allowed us to make this choice, to choose light instead of darkness, trust instead of fear. It is not a natural choice, as we are so accustomed to our fears. But if we ask for help, the Holy Spirit will aid us in making it.
rhythms of grace 