messy heart.

The other day I read a quote by Beth Moore about how God definitely has a plan for each of our lives, but so does the Devil. To make Satan out to be unwise or ignorant is a very grave mistake. Not only does he know Scripture and twist it, but he knows what our weaknesses are. He’s got you down to a science. And what he lacks in knowledge, he makes up for in persistence.

So I got to thinking, for some questionable reason, about what might happen if I fall away from God’s hand and become a slave to Satan’s idea about how Giana Lopez’s life should go. I imagined drastic things, things like drugs or eating disorders or crime or several unwanted pregnancies. I imagined a coked out version of myself and thought how that would please my Enemy. But then, a scarier thought dawned on me. What if Satan’s plan for my life entailed ‘everything I’d ever wanted.’   What if, by giving me my most shallow desires, he could steer me away from the Loving Hand of the Father. What if through money or romance or fame, all of which fall away, he could steal from me the eternal significance that only Jesus Christ can offer. This is far worse than if I’d ended up as president of the dregs of society.  I began to wonder if Satan’s plan for my life is more similar to my plan for my life than Christ’s. You know, Satan doesn’t have to work that hard to get us to ruin our lives. We tend to gravitate towards foolishness on our own. So how can I be sure that where I am right now is not a part of this great master plan to destroy me? Well… first I wanna say that the Lord makes it very clear that Satan is real (Ephesians 6:12-13), and that he “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). So, even if I think things are great, Satan’s goal is still to rob Jesus of glory and rob me of the chance to know Jesus. So that means I can’t really look at circumstances to ‘assure’ me that I’m on the right path. Even a marriage without adultery can be a place where Satan is wreaking havoc. Even being surrounded by other Christians can be a vulnerable place. Look at how many churches have bickering staff members and pastors who are having secret affairs. I can never look at my current status or surroundings as proof that Satan’s not having his way in my life. 

So what can I look to? The only answer is Christ. Having a real, intimate relationship with Jesus is the only way to avoid taking Satan by the hand and embarking on his terrible and empty journey for your life. I have to trust the Holy Spirit to protect me, to convict me when I’m starting to turn in the wrong direction, to heal me when I’ve fallen, and to guide me in the way I’m supposed to go. These things can seem so vague and abstract but that’s why God gave us Scripture, first of all, and that’s why it takes trust in God to have faith in Him. If it were simple, it wouldn’t be faith. 

So today, give careful consideration to the state of your heart. Are you seeking to honor Christ, are you growing by the Holy Spirit’s power? Or are you kinda directing your paths the way you see fit, not giving careful consideration to Whose map you’re following? 

“Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?” Galatians 1:10.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9