As women, we tend to spend a lot of time comparing ourselves to other women whether it’s someone on TV, someone we see in passing, a close friend or even a relative.  This is another tactic Satan uses against us as we strive for holiness.  This past weekend I had the opportunity to see “Behold Jesus,”  a wonderful musical about the life of Jesus Christ.  In the scene where Jesus is praying alone right before he’s captured, Satan was standing right behind him.  As Jesus prayed, the enemy was continually speaking to Jesus telling him He didn’t have to go through this and that He could come follow Satan and the world would be His.  It was a constant stream of lies from Satan trying to get in the way of the path God had put before Jesus.  Satan was doing everything in his power to speak lies to Jesus.

          As we all know, Jesus didn’t listen to Satan’s lies.  As I watched that scene unfold, it reminded me of the constant lies the enemy speaks into my life.  I know you know what I’m talking about because he does it to us all.  Some of the lies I hear include, “I’m not a good mom; my body isn’t as good as another woman’s body; I’m doing everything wrong and must not be worthy of Christ’s calling on my life, and they go on…”  Do you hear these lies too?

          We all have the choice to listen and fall prey to Satan’s evil schemes or else we can call on the power of the cross, the same power Jesus used to fight temptation in the garden of Gethsemane.  The power given freely to you through the Holy Spirit and available to you always, even in this moment.

          “You will find that God rarely uses a person whose main concern is what others are thinking.” (The Travelers Gift by Andy Andrews)   When we spend our time and energy listening to all those voices and lies it begins to drown out the one true voice to which we should be listening.  There’s only one opinion that matters to me and that is the Lord’s.  I know that if I’m pleasing Him, nothing else matters.  If I spend too much time worrying about the opinions of others it’s getting in the way of holiness. 

          The first thing God told His followers as He appeared to them after the resurrection was to be at peace (John 20:19).  The Bible often refers to peace and how God so desperately wants us to find our peace in Him.  Worry isn’t part of that equation.  Comparing ourselves to others isn’t part of that equation.  Your walk is unique and special.  Your body is unique and special.  Focus in on God and stop focusing on others.  Ask Him to make His desires yours.  Call upon the power of the cross to stand against the lies Satan is speaking into your life.  Be determined to not let anything or anyone get in the way of holiness and what God is doing in your life.  This fallen earth is full of obstacles and until you understand you need the Lord to overcome them, they will constantly serve as road blocks.   But my dear sister, when you finally reach a point where you decide to allow God to clear the path, you WILL walk in freedom and there is nothing like it!  “It is for freedom and Christ set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).

           “The only limit to your realization of tomorrow is the doubt to which you hold fast today (The Travelers Gift by Andy Andrews).”  Tomorrow is a new day.  Each day is a gift from God.  Please understand that I don’t have it all together.  I’m certainly not immune to the Enemy’s lies and deceit.  But I am getting better at recognizing and giving it to God.  My friend, never forget the mighty example of our Christ.  Picture Him sitting in that garden, praying.  It was a moment so beautiful yet so terrifying.  Let that moment rest in your mind.  That power of self-control against the temptation of the enemy is freely given to you.  I pray you are filled with strength to give the burdens you’ve been carrying over to God and may you experience the peace of Christ, The Prince of Peace, on this day in a fresh way.

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).”