I sometimes amaze myself over the things that cause me to stumble.
Going up stairs, I can misjudge the distance and find myself hanging on by a toe.
Sometimes I’m not aware of an upcoming drop, and find myself in a state of panic as I wait for my foot to find the floor and hope it's not too far off.
Walking I can trip over a tree root, an uneven bit of pavement…even a rug thread.
Often in these cases, when I know the inevitable is about to happen, my world hits the slow motion button, and I can see myself going down. In those few seconds before body meets ground, I contemplate my options––if I have any. Option one is to put my hands out to stop the fall. Option two is to tuck my arms in, turn, and take it on the shoulder. Neither has proven very productive. Scrapped hands and an out of aligned shoulder have been the most common results.
The causes for these mishaps are always the same: not paying attention and not lifting my feet high enough, aka complacency.
Unfortunately, I have found the same is to blame in my spiritual walk. When I am not paying attention or I when fall into complacency, that is when Satan attacks, and before I know it, I am taking a fall. And like in the physical world, my efforts to soften my fall and protect myself are often useless, and Satan smiles in victory.
Peter warns us of Satan's desire to capitalize on our false sense of security when he says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (I Peter 5:8).
As we go through life, regardless if it’s on uneven terrain or, what appears to be, smooth flooring, let’s be vigilant. Let’s be aware of what Satan might have placed in our path and watch where we put our feet, and in so doing not stumble.
Going up stairs, I can misjudge the distance and find myself hanging on by a toe.
Sometimes I’m not aware of an upcoming drop, and find myself in a state of panic as I wait for my foot to find the floor and hope it's not too far off.
Walking I can trip over a tree root, an uneven bit of pavement…even a rug thread.
Often in these cases, when I know the inevitable is about to happen, my world hits the slow motion button, and I can see myself going down. In those few seconds before body meets ground, I contemplate my options––if I have any. Option one is to put my hands out to stop the fall. Option two is to tuck my arms in, turn, and take it on the shoulder. Neither has proven very productive. Scrapped hands and an out of aligned shoulder have been the most common results.
The causes for these mishaps are always the same: not paying attention and not lifting my feet high enough, aka complacency.
Unfortunately, I have found the same is to blame in my spiritual walk. When I am not paying attention or I when fall into complacency, that is when Satan attacks, and before I know it, I am taking a fall. And like in the physical world, my efforts to soften my fall and protect myself are often useless, and Satan smiles in victory.
Peter warns us of Satan's desire to capitalize on our false sense of security when he says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (I Peter 5:8).
As we go through life, regardless if it’s on uneven terrain or, what appears to be, smooth flooring, let’s be vigilant. Let’s be aware of what Satan might have placed in our path and watch where we put our feet, and in so doing not stumble.
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