By F. D. Adkins
He lurks in the shadows waiting for the perfect moment. He watches. He listens. His narrow gaze fixes on her as she stares at the phone. A single tear trickles down her cheek.
Now. He tells himself. He whisks from the darkness just long enough to let a whisper penetrate her thoughts. “No one cares.” In a blink, he slithers back to the shadows knowing he made progress.
She lowers her head with those words repeating in her mind. No one cares. No one cares. Her body trembles as she sobs into her hands. He holds his head high as he watches her cry. Tomorrow he will cut a little deeper. Soon, he will have her believing that she truly is all alone.
***
Although the above story is a fictional account, this scenario depicts how the enemy works. The devil watches and waits for a moment of weakness to make his move, and he loves to make us feel alone.
Have you ever felt alone? I think it is safe to say that everyone has experienced a feeling of loneliness at some point in life. I remember the transition from working full-time to being a stay-at-home mom. Being able to stay at home to raise my children has been a tremendous blessing that I thank God for daily, but I do remember the first few weeks were a major change for me. I had worked for years in customer service face to face talking to people all day. Suddenly, I was home twenty-four hours a day. My husband worked ten-hour days, so the majority of my day was spent with no interaction. It took some time to adapt to all of this new time “alone.”
Of course, we know the enemy is the master of lies. So, we have to be prepared because when he senses a moment of weakness, our dark enemy will swoop in and whisper his untruths. But how can we always be on guard from such a devious evil that is constantly seeking to “kill,” “steal,” and “destroy”? (John 10:10). After searching the Bible this week, here are some points that I took note of.
The Bible reveals that God understands what we are experiencing.
- God created us. Therefore, He understands us.
- God came to earth in human form.
“For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.” (Colossians 1:19 KJV).
- Jesus went into the wilderness alone and was tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11).
- Jesus had friends that let him down.
Jesus knew the agony He was about to endure. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus went to pray, and He asked his disciples to pray also. Note that Jesus was enduring so much anguish that He was sweating blood. When Jesus returned to the disciples, they were sleeping (Luke 22:39-46). Jesus is sweating blood, and his friends are sleeping.
- Jesus understands what it feels like to be betrayed by a friend.
Jesus was betrayed by his friend Judas for money (Matthew 26:15).
We know Jesus thought of Judas as his friend because Matthew 26:50 says, “And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took him”(KJV).
The Bible gives instructions on how to resist the devil’s whispers and temptations.
- Matthew 4 says that each time Jesus was tempted by the devil, He responded by quoting scripture. “…it is written…” (Matthew 4:4, 4:7, 4:10 KJV).
- Scripture says that we should pray and give praise to God in all circumstances.
“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 KJV).
Paul and Silas were beaten with rods and imprisoned with their feet bound in stocks. But, at midnight, they were praying and singing songs to God (Acts 16:22-25).
- Put on the armor of God. In Ephesians, the first piece of armor Paul lists is the belt of Truth. To put on the belt of Truth each day, we need to study God’s Word every day. Since Paul puts that first on the list, starting the day reading God’s word would be a good idea.
Finally, the Bible tells us that we are not alone.
- God reminds us over and over throughout the Bible that we are not alone. So, I am going to share one that speaks to my heart.
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 KJV)
When the enemy creeps up trying to disturb the peace with his whispers, remember the battle has already been won. The Father is always with His children. And if you have not accepted His love, He stands with open arms and a permanent marker ready to write another name in the Book of Life. With Jesus, loneliness does not exist.
When we study God’s Word, we know TRUTH. When we know the TRUTH, we recognize the enemies lies. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 KJV
***
I stand with my shoulders slumped,
My body crumpling beneath the pounding rain.
My insides scream that I cannot
Endure the pain.
It seems just yesterday that I stood with full lungs upon the mountaintop,
the sun illuminated every space.
Happiness consumed me in the depths of my soul
And I had a smile that I thought could never be erased.
Now, I have awakened in this valley of dark shadows hovering and smothering,
trying to steal every breath of air.
The enemy claws and rips at the wound telling me to give up,
But a powerful voice says, “Just follow me, I will help you escape this dragon’s lair.”
I hold on as He pulls me along,
and as the shadows fade, the sky gets a little lighter.
The higher He pulls me, the higher we climb,
The colors of the rainbow get a little brighter.
With every step, His hand squeezes mine,
And He whispers, “Take one more…
This is the only way to the mountain
That is better than the one before.”
And then I remember as the rainbow comes into full view,
The creator of this rainbow is also the creator of me.
With every valley that I endure,
And every new rainbow that I see,
If I keep my faith and trust in Him,
Through the smiles and tears, through the agony and glee,
My Father will lead me to the mountain
With the golden plans He designed especially for me.
Bible verses for the week
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32 KJV
