“As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?” (Psalm 42:10)
Many are the ways that the enemy of our soul would vex us. How subtly does he pour salt into our wounds. How skillfully does he cast our situation in the darkest, dreariest light. We have an enemy whose sole purpose is to bring us down. Down, not only in wanting us to fall, but down in wanting to depress us.
Devils compound misery. Where there is sorrow of heart, they plant thoughts that turn heartache into hate. “Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit” (Eccl. 2:17). Make no mistake about it – our enemy plays for keeps. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Give him ear long enough and he will have you entertain the most evil of thoughts.
Satan is the god of this world. He savors the things of men only in so far as to torment them when they don’t get all they want in it. But every one of our lives in this world will always fall short in some way or another. None of us can escape disappointment.
Jesus was both a realist and an optimist. He told us we would have tribulation in this world, but to be of “good cheer.” Our enemy has no desire for us to find real joy or peace in the midst of the realities we face. No, he would always hand us the most bitter cup to drink. And after the “happy hour” there’s always a morning of misery he would wake us up to.
Child of God, know that beyond and beneath the circumstances of your life, there is a spiritual component. There is an enemy who would swallow you up, and a good Father who would uphold you. It is your choice whose voice you will hear. Will it be the voice of the Comforter or the discomforter?
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” (Psalm 42:11)