We have an enemy who wants to deceive us and induce us to commit sin. He is hoping once we are entrapped in our sin, we will feel hopeless and ashamed. His strategy is to convince us this time we have sinned so deeply there is no forgiveness.
Who can he devour? Don’t let it be you!
Often the enemy knows how to trick us because we have said out loud what issues trip us up. Sometimes, his traps are not obvious. We’ve been talking about soul clutter; and sometimes our souls have been trapped into wanting more instead of appreciating what we already have.
Wanting more?
The Passion Translation of this passage explains some people spend so much of their efforts chasing after more they have given up their faith.
The antidote to striving for more is appreciating what we already have.
God has richly blessed His children; daily thanking Him for His provision helps gratitude to grow.
It’s not wrong to be a go-getter, but the believer’s end goal should be running our race well and becoming more like Christ. Whatever perks we receive along the way is just a bonus.
Be vigilant, recognize the trap
Sometimes, aligning with the wrong people can lead to a trap. It’s dangerous to trust others instead of seeking God first about everything.
The book of Proverbs has some good advice about traps we can identify and take to heart.
Financial agreements – Proverbs 6:1-3
Seducing flattery – Proverbs 7:21-23
Ambition – Proverbs 11:5-7
Words we say – Proverbs 12:13, Proverbs 12:13
Rash promises – Proverbs 20:24-25
Lying to make money – Proverbs 21:5-7
Setting traps for others – Proverbs 26:26-28
Leading someone into evil – Proverbs 28:9-11
Flattery – Proverbs 29:4-6
Fear of others – Proverbs 29:25
This is serious stuff
Keep your eyes open as you seek God, but you don’t have to live in fear.
I think we can all agree life is not always easy
There are pitfalls aplenty to fall into if we are not paying attention. But the believer who makes it a practice to daily give God thanks, read His Word, and pray to seek His will, will be much more likely to avoid the traps and snares of the enemy.
Hey! I’m on a journey. I don’t pretend I’m doing all this perfectly. I’m sharing the goals and dreams I have in my heart in this series, “A Rich and Satisfying Life.” This is day fifteen of examining a life free from the clutter of both wrong thoughts, attitudes, expectations, and too-full calendars, as well as physical clutter. You can click here to see all the links to the series.
This series is part of a Write28Days challenge sponsored by Anita Ojeda. The challenge is now over, but I am still working at the goal of writing 28 times on my subject.
All photos created in PicMonkey by Jerralea using personal, family and stock photos. Please do not copy.
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