Moving forward is sometimes difficult . . .

For the past few days, the enemy who is also called the accuser of God’s people has been reminding me of past foolishness and forgiven sin. My nature tends to focus on the dark side of everything, the bad news, so I’m sometimes vulnerable to Satan’s mocking and struggle to “press on” in my faith.

Part of his strategy is to stop me from praying. He uses circumstances, busyness, interruptions, and all sorts of thoughts and ideas trying to occupy me with anything but prayer. I can see why. This past week God has blessed me with answers and unexpected blessings that I’ve shared with others who, like me, love the surprises of God.

But Satan doesn’t. His attacks yesterday and today are reminders of all sorts of failures and sin that has been forgiven and conquered but he doesn’t want me to focus on the victories just those failures.

The Lord is with me. Yesterday as I struggled with this onslaught from the accuser, I picked up a prayer list from my church denomination. The prayer for the day was this: “Thank God for the way He is able to use you because of and despite your past.”

This ‘note’ from the Lord brought tears of gratitude to my eyes and picked me up for the rest of the day, yet the enemy was not stopped. He is at it again today, and again, the Lord gives me more good news to bolster my spirit — a positive response to the devil’s accusations:

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24–25)

In the past on those days when negative thinking seems to overwhelm me, I’ve often prayed, “Lord, it this is what You want me to think about, then I will accept this battle as part of Your plan for me. If not, then You know what to do.” I pray that again now, for You are my Savior. I cannot keep myself from stumbling. I certainly cannot present myself blameless before You. However, by Your grace I have been saved, and that not of myself or I could and would boast. Salvation is a gift of God by grace through faith and You have graciously given me that gift. The enemy’s reminders of past sin are true in one sense — I was guilty — but I am also forgiven and cleansed, covered by Your blood and because You live in me, I am also bearer of Your righteousness and goodness. Bring that forward and enable me to “forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead, pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Help me to hold true to what I have already attained (Philippians 3:13-16) because You are my Savior and I’m always in need of saving.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- the blessing of God’s constant care and reminders of His love and grace toward me.

- hubby did some shopping today so I could work on a project with a deadline.

- color . . . such a delight that life is not gray scale but color!

- the rapidly growing herbs in our hydroponic garden – a gift that keeps on giving.

- peach cobbler from the freezer.