I’ve noticed a pattern lately.
On the days that have been set aside for us to spend time meditating on God’s precious gifts to us — holidays, Sundays, etc. — my mind goes everywhere but to God. And the more I try to meditate on Jesus and His incredible gifts, the more “stuff” gets thrown on me.
To compensate, I try to put together a plan of action; however it invariably get’s thwarted.
Coincidence? I don’t think so. I believe it is by design! The devil doesn’t want us contemplating Jesus or meditating on His gifts to us! He much prefers to keep us tied up in self-pity or depression or a myriad of other emotions that get thrown our way…
Good Friday 2024 was a good example. I was determined to spend time really meditating on Jesus. I decided I would start off by having my worship and then take a long prayer walk. I would get up earlier than usual, so as to be done with everything in time for the Good Friday service at our church.
It was a good plan!
The only problem is, my husband’s dementia had increased to the point that he couldn’t sit long enough to go to church, and we hadn’t been in several weeks. I thought that because the Good Friday service was shorter than usual and also followed by a breakfast, he would be willing to go. I was praying he would be willing to go. When I mentioned it to him Thursday night, however, it didn’t go well. Suddenly my perfect plan was ruined…
I decided I would leave it in God’s hands and try to get some sleep. Unfortunately, someone needed help, and I was kept up well past my bedtime trying to help them. I did get up early Friday morning, as planned, but I was so sleepy that it was hard for me to concentrate during my worship. Besides I was still upset that I couldn’t go to church…
It was a perfect recipe for a grand ol’ “pity party”. I jumped in with both feet, and it wasn’t long before my self-pity turned to anger.
I certainly wasn’t spending time meditating on Jesus!
After breakfast, my husband continued to refuse to go to church. I went out for a walk then, and I tried to have a good talk with God; but I was too distracted feeling sorry for myself about not getting to go to church. I did watch the service online, but I really couldn’t concentrate…
No, the devil doesn’t want us spending time contemplating Jesus and his incredible gift. He has secularized the holidays, and when we try to focus on Jesus anyway, he throws other pitfalls at us: “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8b NASB).
There is, however, an antidote!
The first part of 1 Peter 5:8 gives us a clue: “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.” (1 peter 5:8a NASB). We need to be on our guard, ever watching for where the devil may try to snare us! Especially on these days that are set aside for truly contemplating Jesus and His incredible gift!
The second part has to do with “thought control”: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8 NASB). We can be presented with situations that will make us take the wrong turns in our thoughts, but we are ultimately the ones who have the choice as to whether to take those wrong turns or not. The Bible is clear: When we focus on honorable, right, pure, lovely, commendable and true things, there isn’t room in our thoughts for the “junk” the devil is trying to throw our way!
And this is exactly the solution to the problem of the devil wanting us to not mediate on Jesus!
As I was falling deeper and deeper into the “self-pity trap” on Good Friday, 2024, God began speaking to me about the super bad day Jesus had 2000 years ago… He suggested to me that I focus on that instead of my own problems. Suddenly my day didn’t seem so bad after all, and the more I thought about Jesus’ passion walk to the cross, the more I contemplated the pain and agony He suffered, physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally, the more my own self-pity melted away…
Tomorrow we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. We will remember how we have been justified before God, and not of our own merit, but of Jesus’ merit (See Philippians 3:9). We will celebrate how Jesus defeated death (See 1 Cor. 15:55-57). We celebrate our unity with Christ (See 2nd Corinthians 4:14). We celebrate our living hope (See 1 Peter 1:3-4), etc. Let’s be on the alert for any distractions, and let’s counter them by meditating on Jesus’ perfect gift for us!
In His love,
Lyn
Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Author, Moderator, Acting Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries