The devil started on me early this morning! I woke up and checked the statistics on my blog and he said, “Ha! Only 25 viewed your blog yesterday!” I said, “Yep! That’s 25 people in 5 countries that would not have read it if I had not written it!” Then he began trying to convince me I’m not mentally sound in thinking anything I would say might benefit someone else; that I’m annoying others with my blog as opposed to helping them; that completing and publishing a book is a pipe dream; people are reading my posts and laughing at me; and pointing out all of my weaknesses.
I sat on my patio this morning thinking, “I recognize the fact I am under attack, perhaps I need to focus on fighting this battle this morning as opposed to writing my blog post.” Then it occurred to me, “That’s exactly what the devil wants! He wants to discourage me and distract me!” I told myself, “Get up, get on your knees in prayer, get into the Word and get busy writing”. I knew I had to keep my focus on the Lord and not let the devil distract me and keep me from doing what the Lord has assigned me the task of doing. So I came to my computer, opened my Bible, prayed and read Matthew 4:10 “Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
This is how we fall into the bottomless pit of depression. The devil deceives us and distracts us from where our focus needs to be. He wants us focusing on all the things that are wrong in our lives, all the hurt and pain we have experienced, all the wrongs we have endured asking ourselves, “What’s wrong with me?” and saying “Oh, poor pitiful me!” The only thing wrong with us is us allowing the devil to deceive us and distract us. God created each and every one of us in His wonderful image. He loved us enough to send his own very special Son to suffer and die on the cross for us so we could be reconciled with him.
Please don’t let the devil win! Don’t give him control over you! Don’t let him deceive you and distract you! Tell him, “Away from me Satan!” Focus on those things which are good in your life. You can begin by focusing on the greatest gift of all, the gift of salvation! The gift of eternal life in paradise! Our lives on this earth are not even a moment in time in comparison to eternity. Don’t let the great deceiver deceive and distract you. Get up! Get on your knees in prayer! Get into the Word of God and His promises to you! Be blessed!