Leaning on God

   “Lord, you have probed me, you know me:  you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar” (Psalm 139: 1 - 2)

   God knows everything about me.  He knows my desires; He knows my thoughts.  He is aware of my actions even before I do them.  If there is an evil thought or desire He knows that as well.  I only wish I knew myself as well as God does.  Maybe then I would be better at avoiding sin and offending Him by my actions.

   The ideas that come to mind sometimes bother me because I sense that they are the working of Satan.  My car is virtually new, yet I find myself considering buying a new one.  I find myself looking at bigger, newer televisions when I have one that works perfectly and does all I need it to do.  I have a nice home in a good neighborhood close to my church and friends and still find myself thinking of moving.  The desire for bigger, newer, better or just different “things” is a trick of the evil one to draw my focus from God to earth.

   St. Ignatius of Loyola, as well as others, proposed a daily examination of conscience, a time to review the day and what I did or didn’t do; what I said or didn’t say.  A quiet period to thank God for His many blessings and to ask His forgiveness for the times I’ve failed; to ask Him for the wisdom to better understand myself so that I might serve Him more faithfully.  A time to turn to God and seek His help in rejected Satan and all his temptations.

   I know the devil isn’t going to quit tempting me in this lifetime.  But I’m also confident that God will help me recognize Satan’s trickery and lies.  In my weakness I know I will fail, but with God all things are possible.

Father, the evil one never gives up.

His temptations are constant and many.

I turn to You for strength.

Help me rebuke him.

Amen