“so that we would not be outwitted by Satan;
for we are not ignorant of his designs.”
2 Corinthians 2:11

My normal routine was disrupted last week. I ended up out of town on business two days. Then I had a full weekend, including two very late nights. My whole system was knocked out of whack. I didn’t get sick, but I did suffer from being tired. I still am. However, it is the spiritual side that showed the most stress. Simply said, Satan was able to use this “environment” to aggravate some exposed insecurities. Long story short, I wasn’t thinking of myself from the position that I enjoy – a forgiven, redeemed child of God. Instead, I felt threatened and rejected. The interesting thing is that Melissa was going through the same stuff.

HALT. Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired. These are the conditions that Satan looks for. I was tired. I was lonely. My hurt found an opportunity for anger. All that fed in to addictive behavior by seeking comfort in food.

This wargame is actually pretty simple. It’s amazing how easy it is for Satan to trip us up. I was making really good progress with healthy eating, yet I found myself rejecting all that because I wanted to find comfort in things other than God. Wow.

Why didn’t I reach out for my prayer verses? Didn’t feel like it (rejected God). Why didn’t I talk to someone about it? Didn’t want to let anyone know I was feeling this way (isolation/alone). Pity parties are best when only one is invited.

It wasn’t until I started to journal that I began to really see how all this played out. Really, it started out early in the week. I wasn’t intentionally taking time each day to do the basics for good spiritual health – daily bible meditation, prayer, journaling, worship. At any point, I could have changed the entire course of events, had I stopped to do a good job at any one of these disciplines. In all fairness, I did do that; but not until Sunday. Significant problems were apparent days before that.

We’re both back where we should be. What’s really cool about all this is that God has a way of throwing all Satan’s work back on his head.

Romans 8:28-30 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

This isn’t theoretical. When I truly seek God, he turns all my weakness into strength. That which Satan uses to destroy us is what God uses to build his church. Tired? I can run against a troop and leap over a wall (Psalm 18:29). Lonely?

Isaiah 49:15-16a “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;

Father, thank you. Amen.