You know in old cartoons where the character has the little angel and little demon on either shoulder, encouraging whoever to go one way or the other?
I think that those cartoons weren't too far off.
Except I think that the angel is our moral conscience guided by God and the little demon is our inherent human side guided by the Devil. Allow me to explain myself using a little help from my youth minister (hi Rich) and the great and wise C.S. Lewis.
The book The Screwtape Letters has been recommended to me and mentioned in front of me countless times. C.S. Lewis is one of my friend Sarah's favorite authors. He's brilliant and witty and, above all else, a Godly man. Of course, he's dead now, but still. I'm a huge fan.
Anyways, the premise of the story is that Wormwood is a demon who is assigned just your average dude to tempt. His sole job is to keep his man away from God using various psychological methods and playing on every aspect of his life. Wormwood is writing letters to his wise and learned uncle, Screwtape, who is giving him advice on how to keep the man away from God.
The creepy part? The man is scary similar to me. A Christian who is a part of the modern world. And his temptations could very well be my own. Even 30 pages into the book, I'm being convicted and wrapped in this story. Wormwood is using different ways to keep the man from praying, like convincing the man that his prayers are not heard, that he won't be healed, that he isn't forgiven. Even though the man (and me) is forgiven and heard and loved, the goal of the demon is to make the man feel like God isn't paying attention.
Basically, the demon wants the man to feel like his prayers are hitting the ceiling and not going anywhere else.
Let me be honest: I have absolutely felt that way. As much as I scream and yell and cry and beg, sometimes I just feel like I'm hollering at this nonexistent being. And it is so beyond frustrating, because those are the times where you feel so far away and so cut off. That's when you need Him, "The Enemy" as Screwtape calls Him, the most. The demon's job is to make sure you always feel like this and, thus, give up on God entirely, making it so the demon wins the war.
But I want you, reader (and demon), to know this: I may lose battles but I will not lose the war. My competitive spirit does not just come out when I watch baseball or play nukem. I will fight with everything God has (because just me will not be nearly enough) in order to keep talking to my Creator. Even if I don't feel forgiven, I know I am. I need to remember that guilt is the demon's foothold so that he can slither back into my brain. Even if I don't feel loved, I know I am. Loneliness is the demon's way to infect my heart. Even if I don't feel healed, I know I am. Sickness (spiritual and physical) is the demon's way to destroy my body.
I will follow the instructions 1 Corinthians 16:13 gives me when it says "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong."
Guard with courage. Stand with strength. Have faith.
From there, God will take over.
And when God takes over, you will not lose.
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