Giving the Enemy Too Much Credit

Have you ever considered that we may be giving the enemy too much credit?  With all that has been happening in my life and the lives of those around me, this thought has been circulating for some time.

Consider this... when things are not comfortable in our lives or do not seem to be going well, how often do we hear that "the enemy is at work"?  We pray that the enemy would be defeated and these difficult things would be removed.

Now, don't get me wrong.  I know that there is such a thing as spiritual warfare, and it is not to be taken lightly!!! 

However, do we always go straight to calling it a tactic of the enemy?  Or do we stop to consider that perhaps, just perhaps, the difficult thing in our life may have been allowed by God? (and maybe even placed there Himself?)

Now, NEVER would God send or allow anything in our life out of spite, anger, or any other reason that is not in line with His character!

But when I consider Scripture, I do believe He might do so to turn our hearts and bring our attention to Him.

I wonder if we spend too much time in prayer regarding what we believe the source of the difficult things to be, assuming surely it must be the enemy?  I wonder if we ask too flippantly that it be removed because it is uncomfortable and painful?

Is not God more concerned about our character than our comfort?  Is it not the natural tendency to desire to be comfortable, free from difficulty, or something surely must be wrong and at war with us?

Bottom line:  I am convinced that regardless of the source of the difficulty, the end result should be the same... on our faces in full surrender and dependability on an all knowing and fully sovereign God who does all things well.

I am trying to change the focus of my prayers from one of removal of any given difficulty to instead, a heart willing and able to stay fully focused and surrendered to my God.

Regardless of the situation or the source of its origin, if I allow it to push me closer to my God... it is for my good!

"But as for me, the nearness of God is my good..."             ~Ps. 73:28a  (NASB)