Ok. To preface this post, I have to warn that some of you reading may think that my crazy train has derailed in Kooks-ville when you are finished with this post. Not necessarily encouraging only 3 posts in, is it? But, this post has been rolling all over my mind for the last couple of days.
So, here we go.
I am a believer. My life's goal is to be a genuine, authentic, tried and true, undeniable Jesus freak. I obviously still have a lot of growing, maturing, and living to do in order to truly claim that description. Obviously.
It's hard for me to say that out loud, actually. Or type it. There's a certain amount of accountability that comes along with sharing that with other people. If you know what I'm living for, then I have to be more purposeful in living it out.
Anyway, I digress.
When my man and I first had our baby girl and Halloween came around, the only thing he asked was that I didn't buy her any kind of devil costume. Which, I thought was silly - for a very long time. Like, kinda whacko. But, I loved him and so I went with it. Besides, not what I have ever wanted to dress her as anyway. Compliance is easy when it's not something you were ever interested in to begin with.
He was on to something though.
We put our kids in "Little Devil" onesies. Laugh, if the writing is good, when the little pointy tail, horned red guy pops up on the main character's shoulder in a cartoon or sitcom. Say, "the devil made me do it" when we eat one too many sweets. Or some deny his existence at all.
But, ya'll, the enemy of our souls is for real. He is not cute. He is not funny. He is not to be taken lightly. And, he doesn't care if you believe in him or not.
He is out to distract us. Devour us. Lock us down in his mangy lion jaws and keep us from taking any more steps forward while he tells us that comfort and our selfish desires are worth whatever it takes to obtain them.
He is mean and he is cruel. He seeks to paralyze us from moving toward the life God created us for. From being effective in any real way.
Ever since I made the decision to begin the blog, I have felt pressed by doubt and self consciousness. Worried that the ugly baggage I carry disqualifies me from typing one single word that will matter. Because, let's face it, my baggage is not cute knockoff Louis Vuitton. It's closer to mismatched thrift store pieces that are held together with big ugly pieces of dirty duck tape - just ready to spill out everywhere and leave a mess all over the place.
But for the grace of God. He is so good.
The point of all that is - God already defeated him and his time grows short. Please do not be deceived by any of the whisperings that say "you can't", "you shouldn't", "it's not worth it", "get back to whatever you came out of because it is all you'll ever know" or whatever manner of junk he is spewing that he wants you to buy.
You were made for more. It may be painful. It may be uncomfortable to bust out of the box you are living in, but the Creator of this Universe has higher ground for you. Find out who He says you are and tell those other voices to zip it.
You were made for more.
Amen!
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