Pushing Back the Dark

"Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls--yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills." ~Habakkuk 3:17-19


How many of us go through the majority of our lives thinking about negative things that we fear may happen? How many times do we spend during the day letting Satan fill our minds with pessimistic thoughts? This certainly is a problem that we may face or have faced in the past. But how do we get beyond the point and start to think on the brighter side of things? How do we lay aside those heavy doubts, fears, anxieties, in order to believe that our trials aren't the end of something tragic; but the beginning of something beautiful?

Honestly, I've been struggling.with this. I know what's right and what's wrong, but I have been letting the lies of the world drag me down. They may be the same little stories that have plagued you. "You aren't worth loving", "you are just a useless human with nothing good to offer", "You're just living your life for God and getting nothing out of it". These are thoughts from Satan. He plants those little seeds of discouragement in your mind to drag you down.

"There is this legend that tells how a man once stumbled upon a great red barn after wandering for days in a dark, overgrown forest. Seeking refuge from the howling winds of a storm that seemed to rage perpetually in the forest, he let his eyes grow accustomed to the dark and then, to his astonishment, he discovered that this was the barn where Satan kept his storehouse of seeds to be sown into human hearts. More curious than fearful, he lit a match and began to explore the piles and bins of seeds around him. He couldn't help but notice that the containers labeled "seeds of discouragement" far outnumbered any other type of seed. Just as the man had drawn this conclusion, one of Satan's foremost demons arrived to pick up a fresh supply of seed. The man asked him why the great abundance of discouragement seeds. The demon laughed, "Because they are so effective and they take root so quickly!" The man then asked, "Do they grow everywhere?" At this the demon became sullen. He glared at the man and admitted in disgust, "No. They never seem to thrive in the heart of a grateful person."

Friend, don't let your heart be a place where Satan and his helpers can plant those seeds of discouragement. Don't give him the satisfaction. Fight against those thoughts! Be on the constant look-out for those nasty, little thoughts that want to slip into your mind and bring you down.

God has something better for you, so don't get discouraged; be encouraged. :)

Sister in Christ,
Anna

Josh Wilson: Pushing Back the Dark