“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Resist him , firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.” 1 Peter 5:8-9
Today’s devotional deviates from our look at the Book of Proverbs so I might expand on what I wrote Friday regarding isolation. In that reading we dealt with the matter of willful, self-isolation - really a wanton disregard for the fellowship of the church, but we know that people may isolate themselves for other reasons.
Sometimes people are isolate through no fault of their own: illness, distance, infirmity. Sometimes, isolation comes from being hurt. As much as the church is a hospital for souls, it is full of very fallible people who sometimes miss the mark. Often a source of isolation is Satan. I touched on that in the prayer Friday. Often we are deceived by the Adversary because, like a lion, he goes in for the kill when we are separated from the herd - or in our case the flock. In times of distress - especially spiritual distress, Satan will trick us into thinking the one place we need to be is the place we ought not or cannot go. At these moments we need to learn the lesson of the sheep - there is strength in numbers. Rely upon our Good Shepherd and trust in Him.
Prayer: Lord God, do not allow me to be deceived by Satan. When I feel distressed about my sin and about my relationship with you, help me to see that as the work of your Holy Spirit seeking to bring me closer to you, calling me to trust more deeply in you as my first and last hope. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.