So yesterday I decided to reread a book that has always been a favorite of mine - "This Present Darkness" by Frank Peretti.
Now the shear fact that I even began to read this book is nothing short of a miracle because I do not always allow myself time to just "rest". My Type A personality insists that I always be busy and always be working to achieve "something". I suppose some of that stems from my childhood and my insane need to please my father in order to obtain his love but I digress.
The book "This Present Darkness" was first published in 1986 and is a fictional story of a very real spiritual warfare. The author perfectly describes our weaknesses through demon's that each have a hold on particular characters in the book.
For instance, one woman who is trying to seduce the pastor is being controlled by the demon called Lust. Another character who is a "fortune teller" is being controlled by the demon called Divination. A third character who is always causing trouble is being controlled by the demon called Strife.
But the one character who intrigued me the most - and the one who I feel was the most dangerous - was the one being controlled by the demon called Complacency. Now when considering the multitude of demons and the trouble they may cause, this little guy Complacency seemed quite harmless. He certainly was not as big as the other demons; certainly not threatening by appearance. But in the scheme of life, Complacency could do the biggest damage.
Webster's Dictionary describes complacency as " a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc".
Do you understand now why complacency can be so dangerous? Complacency can be the enemy's best weapon against us as he "shields our eyes" from the true pain and horror surrounding us. It is a spirit of complacency that has come against our country today. It is the reason why normal, intelligent American citizens can sit idly by and do nothing as countless men, women and children are slaughtered simply for their religious beliefs.
Complacency tells us that everything is okay - someone else will take care of it. Complacency whispers in our ear that we do not need to get involved - why "shake up" the perfect little life we have created? Complacency creates "busy" work for us (uh oh) so we are too involved in petty things to realize the big important things that truly need our attention.
I am no stranger to this spirit called Complacency. He has made himself quite comfortable in my life on numerous occasions. Complacency usually shows himself in my life through that "busy" work. How many times have I turned a blind eye to someone in need because I was too busy to make that effort? Oh, not because I didn't care but because I was so caught up in that feeling of "security" that I just knew someone else would help.
My friends, our eyes are being covered right now by this spirit of Complacency and it is time to wake up and open our eyes. Stop being comfortable in your life and begin to get uncomfortable again! Do you not understand that the enemy only attacks when he feels threatened by you so if the enemy hasn't attacked you lately - what are you doing?
And for those who are being attacked - rejoice!! That's right! I said rejoice because that means you have the enemy scared so you must be doing something right!
Do not allow the spirit of Complacency to become a permanent member of your life. Step outside your comfort zone. Take chances. Guess what? If you fail - at least you tried! Now, try again! One day, it will work!
When I look back on my life, I am not saddened by the chances I took that did not succeed. At least I learned something and moved on to something that worked. No, I am most saddened by the chances I didn't take for fear of failure.
Now a spirit of Fear......that is one for another Blog Post.
Now the shear fact that I even began to read this book is nothing short of a miracle because I do not always allow myself time to just "rest". My Type A personality insists that I always be busy and always be working to achieve "something". I suppose some of that stems from my childhood and my insane need to please my father in order to obtain his love but I digress.
The book "This Present Darkness" was first published in 1986 and is a fictional story of a very real spiritual warfare. The author perfectly describes our weaknesses through demon's that each have a hold on particular characters in the book.
For instance, one woman who is trying to seduce the pastor is being controlled by the demon called Lust. Another character who is a "fortune teller" is being controlled by the demon called Divination. A third character who is always causing trouble is being controlled by the demon called Strife.
But the one character who intrigued me the most - and the one who I feel was the most dangerous - was the one being controlled by the demon called Complacency. Now when considering the multitude of demons and the trouble they may cause, this little guy Complacency seemed quite harmless. He certainly was not as big as the other demons; certainly not threatening by appearance. But in the scheme of life, Complacency could do the biggest damage.
Webster's Dictionary describes complacency as " a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc".
Do you understand now why complacency can be so dangerous? Complacency can be the enemy's best weapon against us as he "shields our eyes" from the true pain and horror surrounding us. It is a spirit of complacency that has come against our country today. It is the reason why normal, intelligent American citizens can sit idly by and do nothing as countless men, women and children are slaughtered simply for their religious beliefs.
Complacency tells us that everything is okay - someone else will take care of it. Complacency whispers in our ear that we do not need to get involved - why "shake up" the perfect little life we have created? Complacency creates "busy" work for us (uh oh) so we are too involved in petty things to realize the big important things that truly need our attention.
I am no stranger to this spirit called Complacency. He has made himself quite comfortable in my life on numerous occasions. Complacency usually shows himself in my life through that "busy" work. How many times have I turned a blind eye to someone in need because I was too busy to make that effort? Oh, not because I didn't care but because I was so caught up in that feeling of "security" that I just knew someone else would help.
My friends, our eyes are being covered right now by this spirit of Complacency and it is time to wake up and open our eyes. Stop being comfortable in your life and begin to get uncomfortable again! Do you not understand that the enemy only attacks when he feels threatened by you so if the enemy hasn't attacked you lately - what are you doing?
And for those who are being attacked - rejoice!! That's right! I said rejoice because that means you have the enemy scared so you must be doing something right!
Do not allow the spirit of Complacency to become a permanent member of your life. Step outside your comfort zone. Take chances. Guess what? If you fail - at least you tried! Now, try again! One day, it will work!
When I look back on my life, I am not saddened by the chances I took that did not succeed. At least I learned something and moved on to something that worked. No, I am most saddened by the chances I didn't take for fear of failure.
Now a spirit of Fear......that is one for another Blog Post.
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