Is 'Sneaky Satan' Your Last Blog Post From Me?

Last Blog about Sneaky Satan

I’m doing something bold today for the new year. This is my last blog to about 50 people. At the beginning of every year we tend to evaluate our life and see what works, what doesn't and what will save us time and energy and make us more organized. A de-cluttering, if you will. I've been told by several that I tend to take on too much…true! This will save me time, energy and the curiosity of wondering if anyone ever reads it or not. It is a little heartbreaking. If you would like to FOLLOW ME, look to your right and sign up for email. If not, enjoy this last post.

Sneaky Satan! You sneaky devil! “With every confession, I felt betrayed all over again,” a betrayed women said in a blog I read. Why is it that making things right starts out with a deeper hurt than when the situation was status quo? I was all set to forgive in my heart, then, I heard some of the motives, the confession and my heart grew cold and unforgiving. Sneaky Satan! It really should not matter about all the details! Forgiveness is forgiveness. I guess they need to lay it all out on the table to feel cleansed and free, but a burden lifted for them returns to me like the day it happened. Sneaky Satan! They feel better and now I feel worse. A moment ago it was the other way around. I was okay with how things were.

            Now, I have a choice again. Satan hopes I wallow in the hurt. God hopes I stand firm in my conviction to forgive. Forget? That is a totally different subject. Can you truly forgive and not forget? Can you forgive and have the same relationship as before? Should you? How many walls should you keep up for your protection and the protection of others around you that you are assigned to guard/defend/shelter/shield? Does God want me to get hurt over and over just to prove I can forgive over and over, too?

            What does God expect? Forgive—Yes! Get emotionally pummeled over and over? I don’t think so. Should we go into the situation thinking, “This time it will be different? They seem sincere this time.” Or do we hope it is different, but go in with our eyes wide open and our senses keen to what has happened over and over. I read to be fools for Christ (1 Cor 4:10). Knowing that, I feel like I should be willing to give the benefit of the doubt, start again and try, but how deep?

            2 Cor 11:9 says, “You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise.” We can never, never know if it will be different ‘this time’ or not. Jesus never, never gave up on the lost. I suppose I should never, never give up on people either. But, sneaky Satan, feelings get in the way. The urge to protect those I love clouds my involvement. So, knowing what to do and doing it, are two different things.

            So, isn’t that what this life is about: doing the opposite of your feelings sometimes? Satan controls so many of our feelings. We need to outwit sneaky Satan and many times do the opposite of how we feel.

2 Cor 2:10-11 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven…I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. We are not unaware of his schemes. 

I’m not sure forgiving and jumping right back into the frying pan go hand in hand. Is it possible to have one and not the other? I would love some Biblical advice and encouragement on this concept! Thanks, Friends!