Sometimes we are too lazy to pray. Sometimes we're too ashamed. Lent has a way of showing us what's under the rock and why, exactly, it was so difficult for us to maintain a daily prayer routine before. For the last five years, it's been common place for me to begin prayer and wish I had a Pensieve to siphon off a lot of negative self-talk before I can focus. Who haunts you? A memory from the day? Your worst critic? The health of one of your parents? Your concern that you'll never be married? The voice of doubt isn't from God. It may be human nature but it wasn't always that way... not before the first time someone told us we were naked.
In the Gospels of Jesus, we have around 50 written accounts of him exorcising demons. It's almost as if that was the primary objective of his mission. He rebukes them, casts them out and silences them. Because demons use our inner voice to torment us. I don't know much about demons but the nasty ones I have to fight use my own words so I learn to not love that girl at all. Scripture seems to be the only thing that silences and has any hope of eliminating my demons.
I believe the battle is already won, that the devil takes the lead of the losing team. It doesn't make it easier to get rid of them completely but one song always strikes a chord with me. Maybe because the first part of defeating them is to admit that they are there; in C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters, convincing the believer that the devil doesn't exist is the first step of him having real power.
Demons by Imagine Dragons is for people who worry too much, for those who stress out, anyone who thinks they have something to hide. At this weekend's retreat, I felt like a rubber band ready to snap. I completely trusted my team. Everything went fine. Our candidates enjoyed themselves and the Holy Spirit was faithful. But I didn't trust myself, and with every step from the cabin to the center, to the dining hall to the bathroom, I fought the nearly constant taunt, You're not good enough. You will fail. They are all talking about you. No, they're not talking about you at all, because you are invisible. You do not matter. Your hard work was for nothing. God has not seen your hard efforts - nobody does. No, everybody does therefore no glory is waiting for you because you're a glory hog. You will work yourself to death and receive all your reward - which is not much. You are only going to fail.
Here's a pretty good acoustic cover of Demons. I like to use this one to start prayer when I can't focus. It describes those of us who are so high strung, so tightly bound, that we push everyone and everything away. For those of us who are too busy trying to prove ourselves to the God who just wants us to pray.
You're right - you do have something to hide. A tremendous light that is meant to shine. A glory that will blind your enemies, the demon of doubt and insecurity inside. This is more than believing in yourself. It's much more than having confidence. Being made in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:16) isn't about feeling good all the time. (My hope is not that we will fight demons in order to become hedonists.) I want to be a herald of the Good News, which means there's no time for me to be another Eeyore proclaiming another blustery day. For further study, pray with Wisdom 18, Matthew 5, Luke 16, John 8-11 and Philippians 2.
Children of God are intentional, but not perfectionists. They believe the sun is only ever hiding just below the surface. Share that you have faith in God by believing everything will get better in God's time and God's way. A light to the nations means you carry the Gospel. You wake up each morning to run back from an empty tomb because God has risen something in you. You are hope embodied. Heaven visible in your eyes. Carry with you a torch that no storm lasts, no army will win over your eternal death, no fear is warranted. You belong to God. A God of valor. Demons belong to fear.
My prayer for you is that you will allow God to dissolve your demons with His words of love. Ask Him to rebuke them, silence them and cast them out for you. This is not something you can do alone and you deserve to not suffer from negative self-talk. You deserve better than torture.
Give light and the darkness will disappear.
I believe the battle is already won, that the devil takes the lead of the losing team. It doesn't make it easier to get rid of them completely but one song always strikes a chord with me. Maybe because the first part of defeating them is to admit that they are there; in C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters, convincing the believer that the devil doesn't exist is the first step of him having real power.
Demons by Imagine Dragons is for people who worry too much, for those who stress out, anyone who thinks they have something to hide. At this weekend's retreat, I felt like a rubber band ready to snap. I completely trusted my team. Everything went fine. Our candidates enjoyed themselves and the Holy Spirit was faithful. But I didn't trust myself, and with every step from the cabin to the center, to the dining hall to the bathroom, I fought the nearly constant taunt, You're not good enough. You will fail. They are all talking about you. No, they're not talking about you at all, because you are invisible. You do not matter. Your hard work was for nothing. God has not seen your hard efforts - nobody does. No, everybody does therefore no glory is waiting for you because you're a glory hog. You will work yourself to death and receive all your reward - which is not much. You are only going to fail.
Here's a pretty good acoustic cover of Demons. I like to use this one to start prayer when I can't focus. It describes those of us who are so high strung, so tightly bound, that we push everyone and everything away. For those of us who are too busy trying to prove ourselves to the God who just wants us to pray.
You're right - you do have something to hide. A tremendous light that is meant to shine. A glory that will blind your enemies, the demon of doubt and insecurity inside. This is more than believing in yourself. It's much more than having confidence. Being made in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:16) isn't about feeling good all the time. (My hope is not that we will fight demons in order to become hedonists.) I want to be a herald of the Good News, which means there's no time for me to be another Eeyore proclaiming another blustery day. For further study, pray with Wisdom 18, Matthew 5, Luke 16, John 8-11 and Philippians 2.
Children of God are intentional, but not perfectionists. They believe the sun is only ever hiding just below the surface. Share that you have faith in God by believing everything will get better in God's time and God's way. A light to the nations means you carry the Gospel. You wake up each morning to run back from an empty tomb because God has risen something in you. You are hope embodied. Heaven visible in your eyes. Carry with you a torch that no storm lasts, no army will win over your eternal death, no fear is warranted. You belong to God. A God of valor. Demons belong to fear.
My prayer for you is that you will allow God to dissolve your demons with His words of love. Ask Him to rebuke them, silence them and cast them out for you. This is not something you can do alone and you deserve to not suffer from negative self-talk. You deserve better than torture.
Give light and the darkness will disappear.