I was reading a wonderful story last night on the life of Oswald Chambers. He struggled from years 23 - 27 with an inner turmoil that was hindering his walk. Everything on the outside looked great, and people were constantly praising him for his spirituality, but he was struggling with spiritual pride and an inner sinfulness (like Romans 7) that was killing him from the inside out.
As I was reading this, a flash of spiritual enlightenment and desire gripped me. I understood! I knew his struggle, I felt his pain, I desired the deeper/fuller walk with Christ that Chambers ultimately found while walking the hills of Scotland. In spite of the praise that pastors often receive, I know my own tendencies. My entire being was awakened and I fell into prayer and it was wonderful. I could feel God ripping apart things and drawing me into a deeper understanding of Himself.
And then . . . TV. I could hear a show on in the other room, my mind drifted to it and I ended up going in and watching it. I could feel the stupor coming over my entire body as my senses became dulled to His Voice. The light was gone. The edge had been smoothed down. I was sunk - and I knew it.
Satan, you will not "dull" me to sleep!
I write this as a reminder to all (3) of you who read this. Do not let Satan use his dulling techniques and cause you to lose those 'flash moments of light" that God gives us once in awhile. You know the ones - where you're reading, or praying, or just meditating and all of a sudden you 'get it.' You shake, you stand up, you pray, you write - you want to do something that keeps the moment alive.
But Satan will fight this with everything he's got. And TV is one of the best weapons in his arsenal. I've written in the past about the "Faint Blue Glow" that emanates from houses up and down my street at night. The glow of the television as people are steadily and often irreversibly dulled to sleep each night, isolated and alone, thinking about nothing.
This is no deep-thought blog - just a warning. I think if you're honest you know exactly what I'm talking about. Keep your senses sharp - stay in His Word - and stay away from the Almighty Duller.
1 comment:
Thanks very much for that Tom! That's an especially needful reminder for me. It could be very easy to get caught up in the conversation and make it all about me. I am very thankful to have sobering influences in my life. Much needed my friend.
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