It's frightening sometimes when you take a look at your life and realize Satan has you exactly where he wants you.
Time can be his weapon. I'm realizing that. He fills it up with things to do, practices to go to, obligations to fulfill, and then convinces you to waste whatever time you have left on useless entertainment because, after all, you need a break. He exhausts you, wears you down, and then whispers excuses. You don't have time to read your bible today, but don't worry. God gets it. You don't have to do a long prayer tonight. You're tired. God gets it.
Not to say that God doesn't get it, because of course He does. He knows I'm tired and frazzled and stressed, knows exactly how I'm feeling every second of each day. In fact, He not only fully understands me, but He's the only one who can help me through. So why is it that when things get crazy, my time with Him is the first thing to slip through the cracks?
It's funny, but I always feel a difference when I'm not spending as much time with God as I should be. Tired, stressed, overwhelmed, and generally lacking in my reserves of the love and joy and peace that come from a relationship with Christ. It struck me today that Satan has gained a foothold these last couple weeks by keeping me too busy to make time for what's important, and that though I've still been trying to live like a Christian, I've been trying to do it alone.
This morning I read a verse in Galatians that made things pretty clear.
How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? ~Galatians 3:3
I love how Paul doesn't sugarcoat this at all. How foolish can I be? After starting my new life in the Spirit and committing myself to Christ, why do I catch myself trying to do things on my own, without daily fellowship with the one who is my strength, my hope, and my salvation?
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ~Galatians 3:26-27
I am a child of God by faith in Christ, and I need to clothe myself with him every day as protection against Satan's subtle attacks. Even when it feels like I don't have the time, even when I'm tired and can't find the strength, I need to remember that putting on Christ is the only way to live out my purpose for him.
And really, at the end of the day, it's the only way to live. Period.
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