10 December | EVERYONE
"Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." 1 Peter 5: 7-9
As long as you live in this world, the devil will appear as a roaring lion every day, bringing pain to your heart and piercing your trust in God. There will also come gratuitous enemies, like satanic instruments to make you suffer and discourage you. You will find them in the neighborhood, in the workplace, and even in your family. Those enemies can also be difficult circumstances, such as illness or a financial breakdown.
God's counsel today is that, far from burdening us, we should place our concerns in His hands. The enemy will be able to do nothing to you if you place your anxiety in God. Let Him take care of your problems. Go out to fight, but do not fear the enemy. Look him in the face. Look him in the eye, but do not flee; do not run or retreat. God is with you!
To tell you that there are no threats or dangers, or that there are no difficulties and challenges, would be to deny reality. Of course there are. There have always been and will continue to be, but if you remember that the Lord is at your side, you will face the battle with the certainty that your enemy has been defeated. He may do whatever he wants against you, he is nothing more than dry straw blown away by the wind.
This world is cruel. Human beings are crueler when they want to make you feel insignificant. But God is stronger than all the world put together.
Take Action
If you find it hard to fall asleep, if you find it hard to get up, if you are overwhelmed by the obstacles you encounter in life, and if you are weighed down by unresolved guilt, turn all those burdens to Jesus! Remember: He wants you to be happy, so you can testify to the world about Him.